My Other Half
by SouthernStateOfMind
Summary: I'm back & excited to begin this Paily adventure! Emily and Paige meet when Paige moves to Rosewood. Their attraction is instant. Rosewood is a nice town; Paige likes it. What she isn't ready for upon her families arrival is what she learns about herself & her family that changes everything she knows about her life. Get ready for love, laughs and drama. Teen now; will be rated M.
1. Chapter 1

**I received a (half serious?) prompt while I was in the middle of writing my last story. It was SO good and SO appropriate for me. My mind started thinking thoughts as soon as I read the request, and I KNEW I had to write it. I'm not going to tell you what the prompt was…just yet, because there is a twist within it. You'll find out soon. (And prompter if you're seeing this; this is it. I won't call you out in the event that you may not want that; however, I do hope to do this justice.)**

 **This story will be a little more Paige-centric than I feel my other stories have been. I find it much, much more difficult to write for her than I do Emily as there isn't much about Paige that I relate to. But I do love her character so I see this as an interesting opportunity.**

 **Chapter 1**

Have you ever had a crush on someone you don't know? Maybe you've had chance encounters with them. Maybe you've seen them on the street (not in a hooker way, but like just walking by). Maybe you've exchanged pleasantries as you both walk in or out of the same door. Perhaps they come in to your place of work.

Such was the case for Emily Fields. As she stood at the service counter taking customers' orders she looked towards the door when the bell chimed. Emily did a double-take as she watched her crush walk through the threshold. The girl confidently strolled towards the back where she usually sat and took a seat at a vacant table.

Emily had never conversed with the girl. She'd had no interaction with her to speak of but still, she was captivated by her. The stranger had garnered Emily's attention since the first time she came in almost two weeks ago. Since that time she's been in almost every day for an egg-whites only omelet with spinach, green peppers and tomato and chai latte.

Rosewood is a fairly small town by most standards and there aren't many places to get a good cup of coffee. That's why regulars to The Brew, where Emily works, are so common. New people stick out like a weed in a well tended garden. That's how she first caught Emily's attention. Emily had never seen the girl before; it was clear Emily wouldn't have forgotten her had they met prior.

Emily observed the stranger a lot that first day. She was tall, around Emily's height, with hair the color of caffe mocha. Her skin was light; like butter cream icing on a cupcake, even now during the dog days of summer. She was either religious about sunscreen or her natural skin tone was predominately fair. It was hard to tell at a distance but her eyes appeared to be dark. Emily imagined them to be deep and rich like the color of a coffee bean. Emily shook her head at the thought. She spent entirely too much time at The Brew. Coffee and confections started to slip into her unconscious thoughts.

"Miss?" Emily startled as the voice of the next person in line tried to get her attention. Emily promptly took their order and made the Moroccan mint tea. As she waited for the tea to steep her gaze drifted back towards her crush.

The girl always sat at a table. She never ordered at the counter. If she did at least Emily would have a reason to speak to her. Emily worked as a cashier and barista and therefore never visited tables to take orders or serve seated customers. She sighed as she mulled that over. _Such a shame_ she thought to herself. If she was just a bit bolder perhaps she would have gone over to say "hi" anyway. But that wasn't Emily. No, if they were to speak it would be her crushes doing or divine intervention.

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Enter Divine Intervention. Spencer and Riley Hastings walked into The Brew not ten minutes later. Spencer is one of Emily's best friends. Riley is Spencer's cousin. Spence was one of the first good friends Emily made when she and her parents moved to Rosewood. Within no time at all Emily had been inducted into a very tight, good group of friends. There was Hanna Marin, Aria Montgomery, Spencer and Emily. Their bonds were as tight as sisters. The only one of the four with a sibling was Aria. She has a younger brother, Mike.

Emily always wished for a sister and in her group of close friends she had found three. It was hard being the only child in a military family. Her father is a Lieutenant Colonel with the Army. When Emily had to pack and move bases there was no one there with her as she began a new school or tried to make new friends. Luckily Emily didn't have to worry about that anymore. She had been reassured by her parents, Wayne and Pam, that her father would be finishing his career at the base near Rosewood. That came as such a relief to Emily. It's been six years since they moved here and Emily couldn't fathom the thought of leaving again.

Spencer and Riley walked up to the counter to order their drinks. "Hey, Em," Spencer greeted while Riley waved.

Emily smiled cheerfully at them. "Hey guys. You want your usual?" Spencer and Riley waited at the counter while Emily made their lattes.

They each tried to engage her in conversation but Emily was not paying the slightest attention to them. It was rude, she knew, but she couldn't help it. Crush was talking to the waitress who came to refill her tea and she looked charming as she spoke to Emily's coworker. She had a nice smile. And she was obviously funny because the server laughed twice while she stood there at the table.

Spencer finally looked behind her to see for herself what was taking all of her best friend's attention. "Emily, who or what do you keep looking at," she asked as she turned back towards the counter.

Emily blushed, "Nothing," she said as she looked down.

"Awe, you're blushing," Riley teased.

"Am not."

Spencer turned back around. There was only one table that could have been in Emily's line of sight. "You are. You keep looking at the table Sabrina is standing at."

"Am not."

"Are too. Are we gonna do this? Just admit it, you're hardcore staring." Spencer's eyes then widened. "Oh, my God. Do you like Sabrina?"

Emily shook her head emphatically. "No."

"Then it's the other girl." Spencer thought for a beat. The stranger at the table didn't look familiar. "Who is that?"

"I don't know," Emily said with a shrug and a slight pout. "She's been coming in a lot over the past two weeks."

"But you don't know her name," Riley asked.

"We've never talked."

Riley grabbed Spencer's hand. "Come on; let's go find out who this stranger in our midst is."

Emily watched the two girls walk over to her crushes table. She was helpless to stop them. Who knew what they would even say to the girl. When a Hastings has it in their mind to do something by God they'll do it come Hell or high water. Emily held her breath as Spencer stepped next to the girl's chair.

"Hi. I don't think I've seen you around Rosewood before. Are you new here," Spencer asked casually.

The girl eyed both Riley and Spencer. In the two weeks since she's been coming here these are the first two people to approach her to engage a conversation. Everyone else just stared and whispered trying to find out if anyone knew who she was. The girl stood and offered her hand in greeting, "Hi, yeah. My family moved here about three weeks ago. I'm Paige McCullers."

Spencer was impressed. The girl had a firm handshake and looked the person she was speaking to in the eyes. "I'm Spencer Hastings." She gestured to Riley. "This is my cousin, Riley."

Riley tipped her head at Paige in acknowledgement. "Welcome to Rosewood," she said with an inviting smile.

"Thanks," Paige said. Remembering her manners she asked, "Would you two care to join me?"

Spencer looked to Riley. "Sure," they said in unison.

Riley pulled out a chair and sat down next to Paige. Spencer looked over to the counter where Emily was watching every detail of the interaction. "I'm just going to let Emily know we're joining you. Is it OK if she sits with us when her shift ends?"

Paige didn't know who Emily is but in her opinion the more the merrier. "Fine by me." She looked at Riley once Spencer started to walk away. "Who is Emily?"

Riley pointed at the counter where Spencer now stood. "That's Emily. She and Spence are best friends."

Paige swallowed hard. T _he goddess has a name_ she thought to herself. Paige had noticed the girl on numerous occasions. She's gorgeous. You'd have to be pretty dim not to admire beauty like that before you.

"Em should be getting off work in just a few minutes," Riley explained.

"Oh," Paige's voice squeaked. "Oh," she said again after clearing her throat. "That's cool." Cool? For sure. It was amazing!

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"Spencer, I am not going over there," Emily said in a harsh whisper.

"You are," Spencer said in the take no shit Hasting tone. "I already asked her if you can and she said yes. Paige is expecting you."

At Emily's confused look Spencer clarified. "Her name is Paige. Paige McCullers. I know you want to talk to her. Now is your chance."

"Fine. I'll be over in about ten minutes."

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Emily hung her apron on the hook by the kitchen door. She ran to the employee bathroom near the stockroom and did a quick makeup and hair check. Since she didn't bring any of her toiletries this was as good as it was gonna get.

Emily has heard people describe her as beautiful. She never understood quite why. It's not that she lacks self confidence. It's more so because she is humble to a fault. Beautiful is a term used to describe other people, not her.

With Emily's raven colored hair, caramel complexion and pools of melted dark chocolate for eyes she's a stunner. Years of dedicating herself to swim training has chiseled her body into a sculpted masterpiece. There is no denying that when Emily Fields walks into a room heads swivel in her direction.

Emily dabbed on a coat of lip gloss and blotted it with a nearby paper towel. With one last look in the mirror she checked her reflection, took a deep breath and looked out of the clear peephole in the kitchen door. _Here goes nothing_ she thought.

 **A/N: I have wanted to use that opening sentence for two stories now and it didn't feel right until this one. Yay! FYI- I have introduced a new character: Riley. We'll get to know her pretty well in this story. Can't wait to share this story with y'all.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Paige saw Emily as soon as she walked out of the swinging kitchen door. She'd told herself that this would be the week. At some point in this seven day time span she would speak to the beautiful girl who worked behind the counter at The Brew. It wasn't that she was too shy to approach her. She just didn't know what to say. It's difficult to start a conversation with someone you've never uttered one word to before.

Should she walk up to the counter and order her standard chai tea? She could but then what would she say? Perhaps, "You make tea really well. So, um, have you been doing it long?" No. That wouldn't work. Or maybe the coined opener, "You look really familiar to me. Have we met before?" That wouldn't do it either. Clearly they could have never met, she just moved here. And besides, no one could ever forget this girl if they'd had the pleasure to meet prior.

Luckily she didn't have to worry about that anymore. Thanks to Spencer and Riley Hastings she would be meeting the girl, Emily, in about 30 seconds.

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Emily concentrated as she slowly made her way to the table. _Left, right; left, right_ she chanted to herself as she closed the distance. _Left, right; left_ and then she was there, standing at the table. At some point while Emily was in the back room Hanna had arrived and was now seated at the table as well.

Spencer smiled at Emily as she approached. Her eyes darted between Emily and Paige before she made the introductions. "Emily, this is Paige McCullers. Paige, this is Emily Fields."

Paige stood up so swiftly and abruptly that her chair nearly tipped backwards. She caught it quickly then straightened back up. With a shy smile she stuck out her right hand to greet Emily. "Hi, it's nice to meet you."

Emily wanted to laugh at Paige's near chair tipping but she didn't. It was too cute. _Paige has a nice voice._ It's smoky with enough rasp to sound sensual but not gravely. Emily likened it to a jazz singer's voice in one of those sultry speakeasies from the early 1920's. She shivered when she thought about what it would be like to hear that voice whispering in her ear and the closeness between them that would mean.

When their hands connected there was an obvious exchange that took place. No one else may have noticed but both girls felt it; unaware that the other girl did too. Whatever "it" was left them speechless for several seconds as their hands remained clasped together. Emily finally found her voice and smiled. "Nice to meet you too."

 _Emily has a nice smile._ It's the kind of smile someone has who is genuinely nice. You can tell as soon as their grin widens and their eyes sparkle that this is a sincere person. Goodness radiates from them. And she has the cutest dimples. Paige wanted to reach out and push her pointer finger into the indention. It was a sign of affection but that'd be weird so she refrained.

Paige motioned to the vacant seat across from her, "Please, sit." She would have rounded the table to pull out Emily's chair for her had this been a date. Her father had taught her to be polite and chivalrous. But it wasn't a date so she stayed rooted to where she stood. Once Emily was seated Paige sat as well.

"We were just talking about where all Paige has lived when you walked up," Riley supplied for Emily. "She's an Army brat too." Emily shot her a look. Riley held her hands up. "Sorry. You know what I mean."

Paige laughed. She liked Riley a lot; they got along naturally well together. The girl is someone Paige could picture herself being good friends with. Same with Spencer and Hanna. And well, with Emily she hoped for much, much more.

"I was just telling them my dad got a new assignment to the base outside of Rosewood. We moved three weeks ago."

Emily understood what that was like. "Where was he stationed before?"

"Oh, we've been all over the place. Most recently we were in Kentucky at Fort Campbell."

Hanna perked up immediately. "Ooooo, have you ever seen the gold? Have you been in the vault? Is there as much as they say?"

Paige looked to the rest of her tablemates. She wasn't sure what Hanna was talking about.

Spencer rolled her eyes. All of the girls were used to Hanna and could read between the lines. "That's FORT KNOX, Han."

Hanna shrugged her shoulders while the other girls laughed. "Well, have you ever been there then?"

"No, I've never had a reason to go. Fort Knox is closer to Louisville and Fort Campbell is pretty much on the Tennessee/Kentucky line. Most of the time if I went anywhere close it was to Nashville."

Hanna cocked her head to the side. "Awe, you have a cute accent. All southern and stuff."

"I don't have an accent. When you move around as much as my family has accents and dialects don't tend to stick."

Hanna nodded her head looking to the other girls to back her up. "But you do. You said Lou-a-vull."

"That's what it is."

"It's Louie-ville," Hanna pointed out. "See, you don't say it right."

Riley started to sing under her breath without realizing she was doing it, "You say 'potAto' I say 'potaato,' You say 'tomAto' I say 'tomaato,'…"

Hanna looked at Riley like she was crazy. Paige and Riley explained in unison, "Shall We Dance." They both raised their hands palm up as if to mean "duh." Hanna still looked confused. She wondered if they were asking her to dance. "You know; the movie? Fred Astaire? Ginger Rogers?" When Hanna didn't react the two laughed together. Riley said to Paige, "I like old movies. It's not for everyone I guess."

"Me too," Paige agreed.

Hanna reached for her drink on the table. She wasn't done with her experiment now that she was on a role. She held the glass up to Paige. "What is this? What would you order if you wanted a drink like this one?"

"Coke," Paige answered.

"But what if you wanted a Sprite? What would you say to the waiter," Hanna prodded.

Paige could tell where Hanna was going with this so she decided to play along. "I'd still ask for Coke. Back home, they would ask me 'what kind' then I'd tell them I want Sprite."

"See, you have an accent! We don't do that here."

"Dialect," Spencer corrected. "It's not her accent."

"Whatever, accent…dialect, same difference," Hanna said with a roll of her eyes and a smirk.

"But it's not the same."

"TomAto, tomaato, Spence," Hanna said, borrowing the line she had just learned. The table erupted in laughter then. Paige was definitely enjoying herself.

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The five girls got along really well as they spent more time than usual in The Brew that morning. The only person missing the fun was Aria. They assured Paige she would get the chance to meet her soon.

Emily and Paige talked about their shared experiences growing up as Army kids. They got along really well. Neither Emily nor Paige could think of one thing they didn't like about the other girl.

They had established through the course of the get-to-know-you session that Paige would be starting her senior year in the fall at Rosewood High meaning they would all be in the same grade.

"What extracurriculars are you in to," Spencer asked.

"I played field hockey and was on the swim team at my last school. If I can I would really like to do both here too."

Riley piped up, "That's cool. Spence and I play field hockey." She then looked at Emily. "And Em is a really good swimmer. She's team captain this year for the Sharks."

Emily looked down and blushed. She always got that way when people bragged about her. "It's not that big of a deal," she said. "You should join the team, Paige. You definitely have a swimmers body." _Oh God I just said that out loud_ Emily thought to herself. She wondered if Paige caught her line of sight as her eyes roamed her toned, lean physique.

Paige smiled internally. Emily's remark probably didn't mean what Paige hoped it did but there's nothing wrong with optimism. "With the move I haven't had a chance to swim at all this summer," Paige admitted. "I'm afraid I've lost some of my speed."

"Emily can train with you," Spencer nearly shouted. The four cups of coffee she'd had while sitting there were coursing through her like jet fuel.

Hanna clasped her hands in front of her on the table and her bright blue eyes sparkled. "That's a great idea!"

Emily shook her head. "Guys, Paige may not want a training partner." She looked to Paige, "We don't have to train together, Paige." Emily detected the slightest bit of disappointment when Paige heard what she said. "Unless you want to," she offered quickly. "Don't feel pressured is what I'm trying to say."

"Thanks. I'd really like that," Paige said with a bright smile.

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Emily was able to finagle the keys to Rosewoods natatorium from Coach Fulton this summer to practice on her downtime. It was for these reasons that she suggested Paige meet her there for a fun swim session. They didn't have to train hard or take it too seriously if Paige didn't want to. This would just be an opportunity for Paige to see the facilities and get back in the pool from her hiatus.

Paige and Emily met outside of the Rosewood High natatorium two days after they were introduced. Emily licked her lips when Paige got out of her car. The girl was wearing small, Nike black running shorts with a red tank top. _Oh, Jeez_ Emily thought to herself. If this was her body's instinctual reaction to seeing Paige in shorts and tank she was in real trouble when Paige stripped to her swimsuit. _Strip_ …that thought sent her mind in another deliciously distracting tangent.

Emily focused on her brain rather than her libido as Paige approached. "Hi, Paige."

"Hey, thanks for meeting me here," Paige said as she adjusted the strap on her duffel bag.

"No problem. Part of the perks to becoming team captain," Emily said as she twirled the set of keys on her finger.

The girls made their way inside, through the locker room and to the pool. Paige felt immediately at home when the scent of chlorine hit her nostrils. No matter where she moved one thing remained the same: how she felt being near, in or around a pool. Landscapes may change, weather may change, food may be different but one thing remained constant and that was the smell of chlorinated water. It could ground her in even the most uncertain of circumstances.

Emily and Paige sat their bags, towels and goggles on the bleachers nearest to the shallow end of the pool. Paige nearly fell over when Emily started to slowly trail her shorts down her legs to remove them. Her legs are so long. So toned. So touchable. So mouthwatering. Paige wanted nothing more than to skim her fingers up them from top to bottom and back up again.

Emily's voice pulled Paige from the trance she was in. "I usually stretch a little before I get in the pool," Emily said as she began to pull her shirt over her head.

 _Eye contact, Paige. You're being spoken to._ "What?" A Half a second later it dawned on Paige what Emily had just said. "Oh, yeah, me too."

Emily knew she'd be a goner if she watched Paige strip down to her swimsuit. Instead she focused on wiping imaginary condensation from her goggles. They began stretching together, each girl going through moves that were obviously their normal routine.

"Do you mind pulling my arms back," Paige asked.

"Sure," Emily said. She walked up behind Paige and gently began pulling her arms back to stretch the muscles that would help to propel Paige through the water. She watched the muscle groups in her shoulders, scapula, neck and biceps flex and stretch. _What would it feel like to have those strong arms pinning her down in bed or holding her up against a wall?_ Emily broke out in a hot flash at the thought. She looked at the curvature of where Paige's neck met her shoulders. She wanted to kiss along that plane. She wanted to lick the skin there and taste Paige's sweetness. Paige was a complete stranger two days ago and now she's all Emily can think about.

Paige felt Emily's breath on her neck as the slightly taller girl stood close to help her stretch. It took nearly all she had not to turn around in Emily's arms, pull Emily to her by the hips and kiss her breathless.

The places where Emily's hands met Paige's skin tingled like she'd touched an electrified fence. If Paige didn't know better she'd swear Emily left a mark. And perhaps she had. Maybe not physically but she'd definitely left an impression on Paige since they met two days ago. Thoughts of Emily were with her in dreams and waking moments. Somehow, someway she had to find out if Emily could ever remotely be interested in her.

 **A/N: I admit, I say Louisville the exact same way Paige does, which I guess is why she pronounces it that way. Even now, as I type, I'm reading it as Lou-a-vull. I wonder how y'all read it?**

 **I was going to do some shout outs for the folks who commented on the first chapter, but I've changed my mind based on today's US holiday. International readers, I know you do not share this holiday, but I imagine you could share a similar sentiment.**

 **Please indulge me a moment: I felt it would be appropriate, given I had this chapter ready, to post on Memorial Day. Emily's father and Paige's (in this story) are both in the military hence my inner connection. For those who might be reading this and serve/have served, thank you. For those whose family members serve/have served, thank you.**

 **And for anyone who has lost a loved one(s), remember them today and honor what they meant in your life.**

 **Thanks for the encouragement in the form of follows, favs and reviews.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thanks for following along so far! Ok, quickly…**

 _ **subway20**_ **: Thank you. I'm glad to be back. And you just never know; I might have Paige slip in a "y'all" for you. Oh I could have her say all kinds of things!**

 _ **siophiefandom**_ **: I think you'll be interested in the blanks I've yet to fill. (I hope) It will be something unlike I've written so we'll see. I will tell you that this has been an interest process for me.**

 _ **jhas:**_ **Yep, sexual tension all over the place. You probably already know what's coming when they have their first kiss! You tend to be able to see around the dark corners of my chapters before they see the light of day when I update.**

 _ **Tns729:**_ **Thank you so much!**

 _ **thecatfromaliceinwonderland**_ **: I laughed when I typed out your username. (in a good way) Thanks for the welcome back! I'm glad to be back. You are going to see more of Riley. I'm glad you're curious as to why.**

 _ **warrior29**_ **: Thank you!**

 _ **Guests**_ **: I don't know who you are and I can't shout out at you but please know that I love all of your comments. Keep'em coming.**

 **Chapter 3**

Paige sat with her mother and father, Nick and Claire, at dinner. This is one of Paige's favorite times of the day. Her family was constantly busy and going in different directions independently. Paige's dad is the new head of the recruiting division on base and her mom is an accountant. They were rarely home but when they were it was a family rule to eat dinner together.

This is their chance to catch up on the comings and goings of life and have that familial bonding time that is so important. In between discussions Paige regarded her parents as they sat on opposite ends of the table with her in the middle. She felt incredibly lucky that she was chosen by them. Paige was adopted by the McCullers shortly after birth. They are the only parents she's ever known.

 _ **Almost five years prior…**_

The revelation happened when Paige was getting ready to start school in the seventh grade. They had just moved to Kentucky when her dad was stationed at Fort Campbell. The middle school she would be registering with needed her birth certificate for something. Paige wasn't sure for what. All she remembered was accidently seeing that the names listed on her birth certificate were not Nick and Claire McCullers. Until then she had assumed, as most kids would, that her parents were biologically her mother and father.

It took several days of thinking, considering, shock and fear for her to mention what she saw to her parents. She broached the subject at the dinner table where most of their serious discussions took place. "Mom, Dad, why are there different names on my birth certificate?"

Nick and Claire sat down their forks immediately and turned to look at each other. Silently they asked, _"What should we say? What should we do? How did she find out?"_

After a moment's hesitation Nick looked Paige in the eyes and said, "Why don't we all go have a seat in the living room?"

That solitary question did not bring Paige any comfort. Something was coming; there was a story here and she was nervous to find out what it was. She was afraid that her assumptions may be truths.

The three McCullers walked slowly into the living room. Paige sat in the oversized armchair with her legs tucked up underneath her. Nick and Claire sat near each other on the couch. They both looked somewhat pale, somewhat nervous and more than a little apprehensive. Claire was the first to address Paige's question. "Honey, I'm so sorry you saw that on your own without any explanation. You must be very confused." Paige nodded her head in agreement. Confused would be an accurate description for sure.

"So you're not my parents," Paige said in a breathy whisper. It was worded in such a way that you couldn't tell if it was a question or a statement.

"We ARE your parents, Paige," Nick said with sincerity. "While it is true that another woman carried you, your mother is still your mother. And I may not have been a part of your conception but I am your father."

"We love you honey. We hate that you are finding out this way. The fact that you were not created of us makes you no less our daughter." Claire leaned as close to Paige as she could, willing the words to travel between them quickly to offer Paige some comfort.

Paige thought she'd be crying by now. Finding out that she's adopted is not something she ever pictured herself experiencing. But she didn't cry; not now anyway. Now she just wanted information. "Please tell me. I want to know. I need to know."

That night the three of them spent hours in the living room talking over as much as they could. Paige found out that her mom and dad adopted her two weeks after she was born. She was adopted from a woman who worked on the same base as her father did. The woman was unwed and could not keep the baby. She had been having an affair with a senior officer and to have kept the illegitimate child and reveal the affair would have been impossible.

Nick and Claire made sure to reinforce to Paige what a blessing she had been in their lives. Due to a complication in a previous pregnancy Claire had miscarried. Corrective surgeries after that left her unable to rear a child. At a time in their lives when they were struggling to come to terms with this, the opportunity to adopt was a Godsend. The bubbly baby with big brown eyes and fair skin won their hearts instantly. They just KNEW she was meant for them.

For close to a year after that day the three McCullers attended counseling with a family therapist. She helped them communicate with each other, explain their feelings, help them process, and ushered them through to the other side.

 _ **Present day…**_

Claire passed Paige the bread basket as she asked how it felt getting back in the pool. Though Paige is a double sport athlete, including field hockey, she and her husband knew that swimming is Paige's passion. They have encouraged her to pursue that sport if it is something that makes her happy. They even hired a private coach for her when she first started. Their only requirement is she has to keep her grades up. The minute she drops below a "B" average they would limit her extracurriculars and if her grades dropped below a "C" average they were off limits period.

"It felt great being back in the water," Paige said enthusiastically. "I think I've lost a few seconds but I should be able to make it up if I keep training this summer."

Nick took the bread basket from Paige. "Who did you say let you into the natatorium? The coach?"

"No, I met the captain of the team by chance a few days ago. She took me."

"That was very nice of her," her mother said with a smile.

"What is this girl's name," her father asked with a quirk of his brow. He was always so protective of Paige; sometimes overbearingly so. Paige braced herself for the round of 20 questions that was certainly about to commence.

"Emily."

"And does Emily have a last name," he prodded.

"Fields."

Nick sat up a little straighter in his chair. He knew that surname. "Does she have any family at the base?"

Paige now realized she had forgotten to tell her father she met someone whose dad is also stationed at the Rosewood base. "Yeah, I forgot to tell you the other day. Her dad."

"Is it Lieutenant Colonel Fields?"

"Yeah, I think that's his rank."

Nick rolled his head back. He has met Wayne many times in the three weeks since his arrival. He is a good man. Tough but fair. They are technically the same rank though Wayne has more seniority. "Paige, I wish you'd have told me sooner. I just spoke to him this afternoon. I could have brought it up to him. Now he probably wonders why I didn't."

"Sorry, dad. I didn't think about it."

Claire wanted to change the subject so she asked a few questions about Emily to find out more about the girl. "What grade is Emily in?"

"She'll be a senior like me. Like I said, she's captain of the Sharks this year. You should have seen her in the pool," Paige said with awe. "She makes it look so easy."

"Don't count yourself short, Missie. You're no slouch in the water," her dad said with pride.

Paige rolled her eyes. "You know I hate it when you call me that."

Nick held his hands up in the air. "Well you won't let me call you Paige "the Missile" McCullers anymore so I shortened it."

"They are both stupid dad…and embarrassing."

"What? They work. You shoot through the water like a missile." The look on his face was priceless. He could not understand why she does not like the nickname.

Claire reached for Paige's hand and gave it a squeeze. "Ignore him, Paige. I want to know more about your new friend."

At this Paige's eyes brightened. "Emily is funny. She seems smart. When she smiles these cute dimples appear on her cheeks. I catch myself trying to say something funny just so I can see them. And her laugh is infectious. When I hear it can't help but smile too."

"Whoa," Nick said after he whistled.

"What," Paige said, turning her attention to him.

Next to her, her mother said, "Sounds like you are interested in Emily as more than a friend, honey."

"I'd say," Nick chimed in. "You got it bad."

Paige played with the napkin that was sitting in her lap. She was glad when she came out that her parents didn't even flinch at the news. Still, she didn't like talking to her parents about girls. "She's nice," Paige said nonchalantly.

"Well, I look forward to meeting her someday," Claire said before they cleared the table for the evening. Nick winked at Paige and gave her shoulder a squeeze on the way out of the dining room.

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Hanna's mom had a late dinner meeting with the executives of her bank so Mrs. Fields invited her daughter's friend for dinner. Afterwards, the two hung out in Emily's room. Hanna sat with her back against the headboard reading a fashion magazine. Emily sat with her back against the footboard looking online at the latest USA Swim Team time trials. She couldn't imagine being a part of the sport still at that level.

"What are you looking up," Hanna asked.

When Emily told her about the swim trials Hanna was reminded of the swim date between Emily and Paige. "Ooo, ooo, how did the swim date thingy go with Paige McLovin?"

Emily laughed at the nickname Hanna had assigned to Paige. At this point it wasn't likely she could get her to stop calling the other girl that. "It wasn't a date Hanna."

"You need to do something about that then."

"We don't even know if Paige is gay. I would be mortified to find out she isn't AFTER I've asked her out."

"No risk, no reward," Hanna said with a shrug of one shoulder. Emily glared at her. Hanna explained further, "It's one of those motivational quotes that Spencer has hanging in her locker. I see it every day after third period. In this case, it is appropriate for you to take to heart."

"I don't want to rush anything. We just met. There are still things we need to get to know about each other."

"Ok, well I suggest you start by finding out what flavor Chap Stick Paige uses." Hanna finished the advice with an air kiss.

"I've got time. We're going to start training together every other day."

Hanna dog-eared the page she was on and sat down her magazine. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Emily. "There's plenty of fish in the sea but not when two Sharks are on the prowl." Emily stared at her. "You see what I did there? You and Paige are going to be Rosewood Sharks. 'Fish in the sea' are the available girls. That's how this is gonna go down if you don't make a move, Emily Fields."

"You are incorrigible," Emily said with a shake of her head.

"Say what you will, Em. All I'm saying is that if Paige is in fact a lesbian, once the word is out there will be a line a mile long of girls not waiting around to ask her out."

Emily bit the corner of her bottom lip. Maybe Hanna has a point.

Sensing she had gotten through, Hanna asked again. "So how did the NON-swimming date go then?"

"Paige is a natural in the pool. She'll make a really great addition to the team. When I timed her on the last 100m she was a little disappointed because I guess her time was down. But she'll get there again, I'm sure of that."

Hanna pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on her leg. "I bet her body is smokin'. Tell me," Hanna said in a giddy voice.

"I'm not going to objectify my soon-to-be teammate. Calm down. I didn't even notice."

"You lie," Hanna teased, hitting Emily's sock covered foot that rested beside her. "Tell me the truth. She drove you to distraction didn't she?"

Emily sighed, "Ugh, she is so fucking hot, Han." Both girls doubled over in laughter.


	4. Chapter 4

**Whoa, two chapters in one week! I'm trying to get as much written as I can this month before my whirlwind travel in July. I had to write this when inspiration hit. This wasn't originally chapter 4. I had something else written but you're getting this instead. I think this will work well with what is now chapter 5; can't wait to have that ready for you. So anyway…**

 **Chapter 4**

Emily rode with Spencer as they made their way from her house to Rosewood High's athletic facilities. Spencer had just picked her up for a late-afternoon workout session. Behind her seat, in a duffle bag on the floorboard, was all of the equipment she would need for the day. She'd never worn any of this stuff nor did she know where to begin or what exactly needed to go where. And let's not get started on the fact that she'd never once held a field hockey stick.

Emily sat forward in the passenger seat and briefly looked to Spencer. "Remind me again why I decided to do this?"

Spencer kept her eyes on the road as she answered. "Because try-outs are in three weeks right before school starts. Paige wants to practice before then. We all do."

"But why did I have to come? Couldn't you, Riley and Paige have done this without me? I know nothing about field hockey, Spence. You know that. I'll literally be a fish out of water."

Finally Spencer cut her eyes briefly to Emily before resuming her focus on the road. "Did you get to see Paige today?"

Emily looked down to her lap. Unfortunately, no, she had not seen or spoken to Paige today. "No, today is our off day. I wasn't going to see her again until tomorrow when we meet at the natatorium."

"And isn't unexpectedly seeing Paige a better alternative than NOT seeing her," Spencer asked with a sly grin that Emily could see from her friends profile.

"Is this a set up?"

Spencer sighed. She was getting frustrated with her friend. Since Emily had met Paige the girl is all she seems to think about. Even when Emily isn't talking about Paige, you can tell she's thinking about her. Today wasn't designed as a set up but if something, anything, didn't happen soon she would honestly consider making it so. "I promise you this is not a set up. We do need to practice and Paige wants to get a feel for our pitch." Emily looked at her inquisitively. "You know, see what our turf is like." Spencer wasn't sure if Emily was following her but she continued all the same. "Anyway, we need a fourth so that's where you come in."

Emily leaned back against the headrest. She was not looking forward to this endeavor. Seeing Paige, yes. Playing field hockey, no. "I'm not going to know what I'm doing out there, Spencer. I won't be useful to any of you."

"All you need to do is run around some, participate a little and swat at the ball. Chill out."

"Anyone could do that! Call Hanna. Call Aria."

Spencer pulled into a parking space in the school lot and dramatically cut the engine. She turned to Emily with a frown. "Hanna said something about already having her hair done for the day and Aria is journaling or whatever. I don't get what your deal is about this. I know you want to see Paige."

That much was true. Emily definitely wanted to see Paige. That wasn't the problem. "I do want to see Paige. I just don't want HER to see ME."

"You are going to have to give me more than that…"

Emily threw her hands up in the air. "What if I make a complete fool of myself in front of her?"

Spencer laughed out loud. "That is not possible, Em! The girl swims with you every other day. She sees you slice through the water like a rip current on the regular."

"Yeah, see?" Emily said in a huff.

"No, I do not SEE, Emily. Please, do enlighten me." Spencer felt her frustration mounting. Emily was quickly approaching Hanna levels of nonsense and it was out of character for her.

"Paige looks up to me in the pool. I can tell," Emily said with a humble smile. "It's just that…it kind of makes me feel good. Like she thinks I'm special or something." Emily continued as she shrugged her shoulders. "What will she think when the hockey ball flies between my legs or I hit the ground with that stick instead of the ball?"

"My bet is she'll think it's cute." Emily's eyes went wide in disbelief. "Oh come off it, Em. You cannot tell me you are blind to the looks Paige gives you."

Emily had seen the looks that Paige sometimes sent her way. However, she would never assume that they are anything other than friendly or reverent. "I think you are mistaking friendship and admiration for something very different."

Spencer looked outside the windshield. Emily would not see reason right now. She'd have to be convinced and only Paige would be able to do that if it came to pass. Spencer noticed that Riley and Paige were already warming up. "Either way, we need to get out there," she said, pointing towards the pitch.

Emily was already there and she'd promised to take part in today's activities. Reluctantly she opened her door, lugged her duffle bag onto her shoulder and walked with Spencer over to meet Paige and Riley.

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Paige dribbled the hockey ball in the air with her stick while she and Riley warmed up. She wondered what was taking Spencer so long to get out of her SUV. She had been sitting in the parking lot for a good ten minutes.

When Riley had called her that morning to ask if she wanted to practice with she and Spencer today, Paige accepted the offer enthusiastically. With try-outs three weeks away she knew she needed to spend some time on the pitch. Her swim training schedule with Emily had prevented her from getting much hockey time in the past several weeks. Today was her off day with Emily so she had the time if she wanted to spare it. All she'd be doing was stuff around the house like unpacking. She could put that off another day. Besides, being active would keep her mind off of missing spending time with Emily.

"What position do you play," Riley asked Paige. This broke the girl from her inner musings.

"Left-striker," Paige answered while still bouncing the ball in the air as it connected with her hockey stick.

"That's cool. Spencer plays mid-striker. She is good but we need another strong striker up field."

Hearing Riley refer to the striker position as "up field" led her to assume that Riley did not also play striker. "What position do you play," Paige asked her.

"I play midfield," Riley said as she playfully knocked Paige's stick away and picked up dribbling the ball mid-air. Paige looked at her in disbelief to which Riley snickered. "Snooze you lose," she teased.

Riley saw a flash in Paige's eyes a split second before the girl swatted the ball out of the air. They both watched it land and roll to a stop approximately four feet away. As they looked back to each other their lips twitched into mischievous grins just before they lunged for the ball. An enthusiastic rendition of keep away ensued.

When Paige heard Spencer's door shut she looked up briefly. When she saw who was walking with her she nearly dropped her hockey stick.

Riley was surprised when Paige suddenly stopped battling her for the hockey ball. "Give up,-" she started to say as she looked up from the ball. Seeing Emily and Spencer approach, she knew what had stolen her sparring partner's attention. "Good, they finally made it."

"You didn't tell me Emily was coming today," Paige said.

Riley shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't know for sure if she was or not. Spencer told me she would see if Em could be our fourth. I guess she ended up being available."

Emily fumbled with the strap on her duffle bag as she and Spencer approached Riley and Paige. Emily could tell by the way Riley and Paige were playing around that Paige was a very talented field hockey player. To Emily it seemed as though there wasn't anything Paige could possibly be bad at. She'd love to test that theory in all kinds of interesting ways. A blush swept over her at the thought.

"Hey y'all," Paige said as the two girls met she and Riley near the top of the shooting circle. She greeted both friends with the statement though her eyes were solely focused on Emily Fields.

"What took you so long," Riley questioned.

Spencer Hastings is nothing if not quick on her feet. She had an explanation, and one that wouldn't reveal the true reason for the delay, in an instant. "I had to go over the rules with Emily. She's never played field hockey before."

"Aww, we'll go easy on ya, Emily," Paige said with a wink.

"Speak for yourself, McCullers!" Riley is not known for backing down. In the 20 minutes she spent with Paige on the pitch she could tell Paige wasn't either. This would be a fun practice.

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Paige was having a great time. She was so glad Riley had called her that morning to suggest the field hockey practice. Not only was she getting to spend time playing a sport she truly enjoys, she was also able to hang out with Spencer and Riley. She really liked the two Hastings. And Emily, well that was the icing on the cake.

Emily was adorable as she attempted to hang with the three advanced players. The subtle looks of concentration, the way she would bite her lip in frustration or mumble to herself, these unconscious reactions endeared her to Paige even more.

Day by day, week after week, interaction after interaction, Paige became more and more drawn to Emily Fields. And if she was honest with herself, she thought she could detect attraction from Emily as well. She wouldn't do anything about it until she knew more but for now she was optimistic.

Emily realized that field hockey is a much more difficult sport than she'd thought. She assumed correctly, she's a fish out of water on a hockey pitch. She has seen Riley and Spencer before so she already knew they were good. What she wasn't prepared for was just how skilled Paige McCullers is. Emily was utterly distracted by watching her. Luckily she could play off the mistakes she made as lack of skill, not the truth which was total and complete fascination with watching Paige.

Emily was glad for the heat and humidity that hung in the air this late-afternoon. Why? Because the physical exertion combined with the heat caused Paige's skin to glisten like a cold glass of water as the condensation builds up. When you're hot, that cold glass of water feels heavenly as it touches your lips and you drink in what you thirst for. Emily licked her lips as she imagined the same reaction to her mouth on Paige's skin because that's what she felt like. Emily thirsted for Paige. Only this though, this touch wouldn't cool her down. No, she imagined this would burn like fire. It would start on her lips then advance through her body like a lit fuse until it reached her core and exploded.

These thoughts were so distracting that she was barely paying attention to what her hockey stick and body were doing. "Emily," Riley shouted. "You can't kick the ball! That's like the third time. I thought Spencer told you the rules."

"Um…" Emily stammered. She looked to Spencer pleading for help.

Spencer picked up for her, "Emily has terrible short term memory."

"Yeah, yeah, terrible," Emily said with a shake of her head. She wanted to quickly take the focus off of herself. She positioned the ball with her stick and looked up to the other three girls ready to resume play. "Where were we?"

"See?" Spencer deadpanned. Riley and Paige laughed out loud. Emily laughed too. She didn't even mean it like that.

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The four girls stood near the bleachers where they had left their duffle bags and water Thermos. Emily felt a lot more comfortable now that they were done playing. She was enjoying herself standing around talking to Paige, Riley and Spencer. She bumped shoulders with Paige, "So what do you think; think you can hang with the Rosewood field hockey team?"

"I am confident I can hold my own. What do you guys think," she asked Spencer and Riley.

"I say welcome to the team, McCullers! Wait until Coach gets a look at you," Riley cheered.

"Yeah, I think we'll take you, Paige," Spencer said with a soft chuckle. "Besides, you and Riley were on point out there. You'd think you've been playing field hockey together all your lives."

Paige nodded her head. She and Riley did play really well working in tandem. It was like they instinctively knew what the other girl was going to do before, or as she did it. "We were kind of in the zone, weren't we," she remarked, turning to Riley.

"I pity the opponent that comes between us," Riley agreed. She was half serious and half joking. She and Paige were both focused no-nonsense athletes. If you didn't step up to their game they'd leave you rolling in their dust trail. Spencer was similar but her drive stemmed from perfection. Riley and Paige's drive came from competition.

Riley dug her car keys out of her bag as she got ready to leave. "Spencer, can you stop by my house on your way home? I was supposed to give you something from my dad for Uncle Peter but I forgot it. Dad will be pissed if he sees it still sitting on the kitchen counter when he gets home."

Spencer looked over to Emily before answering her cousin. "I guess I can unless Emily needs to get home. She rode with me."

Paige swooped in to the conversation. "I can take Emily home." She turned to address Emily directly. "I can take you home instead if you want. I don't mind." _Not even a little bit_ she thought to herself.

"It's not that big of a deal. I can still take Emi-" Spencer started to say before Emily cut her off.

"Spen-cer," she said with a little more emphasis that she normally would. "Paige is being kind to offer isn't she?" Emily widened her eyes at Spencer, without Paige seeing, as if to silently say _"catch up with me you genius dummy."_

"Oh, oh yeah." Spencer turned to Paige. "That's very nice of you to offer, Paige. That really would be a big help."

With the travel arrangements settled, they all made their way to the parking lot.

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Paige and Emily had made it about three blocks when Paige suddenly said, "You know what sounds good right now?"

"No, what?"

"Ice cream."

"You're craving ice cream," Emily asked.

"Yes, but not just any ice cream," Paige said with a nod of her head. "Twistee's ice cream."

"What is that?"

"Only the best ice cream in the world," Paige said animatedly.

"Is that right?"

"Yep, especially on a hot day like this has been. Twistee's is an ice cream parlor near Fort Bragg. We haven't lived in North Carolina for years but I STILL miss that ice cream. They have this peach flavor; makes you moan with every bite."

Emily got a pretty good visual in her head when Paige said that. "Sorry I've not witnessed that," she commented innocently enough.

She had an idea. "We may not have Twistee's in Rosewood but we do have Spoons." Paige looked at Emily funny. "Not the eating utensil…it's an ice cream shop. Do you want to go? I'll even treat you to your first Spoons experience."

Paige smiled at Emily's offer. "Sure."

After placing their order at the counter, Paige and Emily found a vacant table on the outdoor patio. Paige looked around. The place was fairly busy. "So Spoons, huh? You sure it will live up to the hype," she asked Emily. "Twistee's is a fairly high benchmark."

"I have no doubts," Emily said with a smile. "This place has been around since the 60's. I heard they started with milkshakes and malts. The owners named the place Spoons because their milkshakes were so thick you could only eat them with a spoon."

"Clever," Paige said.

"Anyway, once their popularity grew they expanded in to more milkshake flavors and ice cream, sundaes and stuff. Now they are really well known. It's the only thing people always say they miss if they move away from Rosewood."

"I can think of something I'd already miss if I had to leave Rosewood," Paige said it before she could stop herself.

"What is that," Emily asked. She really wanted to know.

 _Well there's no go back now_ Paige thought to herself. She answered honestly when she said, "You." Emily smiled so big, Paige had never seen something quite as lovely.

"You'd miss me?" Emily's heart leapt at Paige's admission.

"Of course I would miss you. You're important to me, Emily."

"I'd miss you too," Emily said softly.

A waitress brought out their ice creams to the table which broke the mood a bit. Each girl thanked the waitress as she left their table.

"Besides, you're the best free swim coach I've ever had," Paige teased.

"You're joking now," Emily said back with a laugh.

"Yes, I am," Paige said as she took a bite of her ice cream. "You're a terrible free swim coach."

"Ha, Ha, very funny." Emily pointed to Paige with her spoon, "Just eat your ice cream, McCullers."

Paige did as she was told and took another bit of her ice cream. "How is it," Emily asked. She hadn't yet taken a bite of her own ice cream. She was too busy watching Paige eat hers.

"You were right. This is actually really good. I'm glad I went with the amaretto cherry. How is yours?"

Emily finally took a bite of her ice cream. "Can't go wrong with Rocky Road. Do you want to try it?"

"Yeah, OK."

Emily dipped her spoon into the Rocky Road ice cream and leaned across the table to offer Paige a bite. Paige leaned in as well and they met in the middle when Paige took Emily's spoon into her mouth. Something so simple shouldn't be sexual but it was to Emily in that moment. It was ridiculous, she knew, but she wanted that spoon, the one that Paige licked ice cream off of with her tongue, in her mouth. There is a level of intimacy to that. You don't offer strangers bites of your food. That is something you do with only people you trust. Emily trusts Paige.

"Mmmm, the Rocky Road is good too. Emily?"

Hearing her name, Emily realized she was still hovering above the table while Paige was seated again. "Sorry, zoned out for a second there."

They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes enjoying their ice cream. Emily noticed how intently Paige was looking at something behind her. "What are you staring at?"

"There's this boy behind you. I think he's trying to match me bite for bite."

"What boy," Emily asked as she looked behind her.

"The blonde with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Tutles t-shirt. He thinks he's faster than me."

Emily turned around in her seat again. "Paige, he's like six years old."

"So?"

"So…are you telling me you are going to sit here and try to eat your ice cream faster than that six year old?"

Paige took a few more bites of her ice cream. "I'm not telling you…I'm showing you." She shoveled three more bites into her mouth.

"You're going to get brain freeze."

Paige put a heaping spoonful in her mouth. "I am noOOOOOOOOO!" Paige dropped her spoon and dug her palms into her eyes.

Emily ran around the table and sat on the bench seat next to Paige. She started kneading Paige's temples and around her eyes. "I did warn you." She certainly wasn't complaining though. "Is your head feeling any better yet?"

"A little," Paige said. At that, Emily started to remove her hands from Paige's head. "Wait," Paige said as she placed her hands over Emily's.

"What? What's wrong," Emily asked in concern.

Paige smiled at Emily. It was a playful smile that Emily had grown to adore. "I think I felt it in my shoulders too. Yeah, and my neck. I need a pretty thorough rubdown. I ate a lot of ice cream, you know?"

Emily pushed Paige's shoulder as she laughed. _This girl is too cute_ she thought.

 **A/N: There aren't too many sports I haven't played to at least a moderate degree but competitive swimming and field hockey are two of them. Why I decided that two of my main characters would participate in sports I know nothing about is beyond me. To those of you who know the ins and outs of field hockey, my apologies. I've most likely tarnished your sport in this chapter. Just roll with it…please.**

 **subway20- so as not to keep you hanging, there's your first Paige "y'all." ;-)**

 **jhas- Stay tuned for more…glad I've kept you on your toes. And I liked the Hanna/Emily part too. :)**


	5. Chapter 5

_**subway20:**_ **You are welcome. I hope you got your ice cream! If I remember correctly, I kind of wanted ice cream after I wrote that chapter. :)**

 _ **EP:**_ **Ha! Glad I could help you out with that. :)**

 _ **Guest:**_ **I'm not sure if I'll get to post in July. I'm traveling most of the month so the chances are slim. If so, it will probably only be one time. Thanks for saying you will wait, and I will try to get something good out here before then. :)**

 _ **Tns729:**_ **Thanks! I had fun w/ch. 4.**

 _ **siophiefandom:**_ **Okay- so all that stuff you said; that's pretty much my reaction when I read one of your chapters. Everything is on point.**

 _ **Guests, favs, followers:**_ **Y'all are awesome. Thanks a bunch. I appreciate you.**

 **Chapter 5**

Paige placed her duffle bag in her trunk while she and Emily spoke in the parking lot outside of the school natatorium. They have been training for several weeks now and already Paige could feel a difference in her technique and level of ability. At her old school she was the best of the best. In Rosewood it was obvious that that title belonged to Emily Fields. She felt very fortunate that Emily was willing to help her train in order to be ready for the swim team once school begins.

"Is your family going to the Officer's Dinner," Emily asked as she peered at Paige over her car's trunk. Every year the Rosewood Country Club hosts a dinner event for Officer's and high level civilians from the base and their families.

"Yeah, I think so. Have you been before?"

"Yes, I've never been able to get out of it."

"At least there will be a friendly face there then." _A beautiful face is more like it_ Paige thought.

"You'll know a few people there," Emily assured Paige. "Riley will be there because her dad is a high level civilian on base. Spencer will be there too. Her family is a member of the club and her parents are chairing this year's event."

"Oh, that's good." Paige thought for a moment. Perhaps Emily could help her settle a debate she'd been having with her mom. "What is the attire? What should I wear?"

"Well we have to abide by the Club dress code. Officers will be in Formal Dress Uniform, of course. Civilians are different. Men have to wear slacks and collared shirts…or suits. And shirts have to be tucked in. Women can wear dresses or skirts as long as they don't hit above your fingertips. And sleeveless shirts but not tank tops. They also frown on revealing necklines."

 _Did we flashback to the 1950's when we moved?_ Paige sarcastically wondered to herself. "So I do have to wear a dress then," Paige said with a pout.

"Not necessarily. I mean, you can wear slacks if you want. Are you not a dress kind of girl?" Emily added quickly, "And it's okay if you're not."

"It's not that," Paige said, shaking her head. "I'm not opposed to wearing a dress. I just like to have the option to wear something different if that is the look I decide on. What are you going to wear?"

"A dress."

"What does your dress look like?" Paige could only imagine. She'd bet Emily could stop traffic.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Emily said with a hint of sex appeal in her tone. What's the harm? She might as well test the waters. After their evening of ice cream a few days ago Emily had decided she would become a little bolder with Paige.

 _Is she flirting with me?!_ "I would. I really would love to know, Emily."

Emily smiled wide but said nothing more. If Paige could in fact be interested in her, she'd make her wait it out; build the suspense a little.

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Paige spotted Emily almost immediately after she walked into the dining room of the country club. It's like her eyes were trained to seek out Emily whenever they were apart. She couldn't control it. Her body naturally needed to reach out to the other girl.

Emily was standing towards one corner of the room with a tall, well put together officer and a petite woman next to him. It was easy for Paige to tell the family resemblance right away. They must have been her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fields.

Paige's breath caught in her throat when she got her first full length view of Emily. Not only could she stop traffic, this gorgeous girl could stop time. Emily had on a long maxi dress that hugged her body deliciously. It was navy with a halter neck. Paige could see just the right amount of cleavage peeping from the keyhole in the chest. A pattern with bright blue and bright corral drew attention to the enticing gap in fabric. Her dark hair hung in luscious waves down her back.

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Emily looked up to see Paige walk through the room. Their eyes met and Emily eagerly beckoned her with a wave and mouthed "Come here."

As Paige approached her and her parents, Emily watched her confidently saunter across the room. Paige looked like a runway model as she strutted towards them. And she made it look effortless. Paige had obviously chosen not to wear a dress. What she did decide on was perfect. She had on a white linen suit. The pants, paired with nude heels, hit right above her ankles and fit her like they were made specific to her measurements. At the waist, a belt matching her shoes accentuated her slim hips. Under the jacket she had on a white cotton henley tucked haphazardly into the front of her pants. She had her shirtsleeves bunched up to meet the cuff of her three quarter length jacket sleeves.

Emily grabbed Paige's hand once she was within reach and pulled her closer. She took a deep breath as Paige's scent wafted into her personal space. It was sweet and spicy, like vanilla with a hint of sandalwood. "Mom, Dad, this is Paige McCullers." Emily needn't explain more than that. At home, she couldn't stop talking about the other girl so her parents knew exactly who she was talking about.

Paige straightened her posture and stuck out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lieutenant Colonel Fields. Mrs. Fields," she said shaking each of their right hands.

"At ease, Paige," Mr. Fields said with a laugh. "Why don't you just call me Wayne?"

"And please, call me Pam."

Paige was a little hesitant to address an officer and one of her friend's mother's by their first names. "Are you sure?"

Emily squeezed Paige's hand that still rested between her own. "Its fine, Paige." She probably should have let go of Paige's hand at that point. That's what a friend would do. But she decided to keep hold while she could.

"Emily tells us that you are going to join the Sharks this year," Pam mentioned in conversation.

"That's my intention. I hope I haven't monopolized too much of your daughter's time the past several weeks. She really has helped me quite a bit in the pool."

"Nonsense, Paige," Wayne said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Emily has been one with the water since she was a tadpole. It was next to impossible to get her out of the pool when she was little. Hell, it still is!" The four of them laughed together.

Paige had spent a lot of time with her father's peers so she felt pretty comfortable around Mr. Fields. Mrs. Fields was another thing altogether. Paige felt she understood the Fields family dynamic; it's probably much like her own. Emily is her daddy's little girl but she's her mother's daughter. Paige felt it was important to make sure she made a good impression on Mrs. Fields and she knew she'd only be able to do that by being herself. Pam Fields seemed to be a no nonsense kind of woman.

After a respectable amount of time with small talk and pleasant conversation, Paige scanned the room. "Would you excuse us, please? If it's ok with you I'd like to bring Emily to meet my parents." With a nod from Wayne, Emily and Paige made their exit.

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They found Mr. and Mrs. McCullers nearby speaking to another officer and what looked to be his teenage son. "Excuse me," Paige politely interrupted. "Mom, Dad, I wondered if you have a minute so I can introduce you to Emily."

The officer and his son said their goodbyes so the McCullers could speak to their daughter in private. "Mom, Dad, this is Emily Fields."

Emily moved to shake their hands much like Paige had done with her parents. "I am so pleased to finally have met you Lieutenant Colonel McCullers and Mrs. McCullers."

Claire smiled warmly to Emily as she replied, "It's our pleasure, dear. Paige speaks very highly of you."

Behind Emily, Nick caught Paige's attention. He looked to Emily, then to Paige and winked.

Paige gave him a harsh stare then looked around to see if anyone noticed. Luckily it didn't seem as though anyone had. Her dad had already been teasing her, asking if she'd made a move on the Fields girl yet. Now he was sure to persist.

Following several minutes of small talk Paige mentioned that they were supposed to find Spencer and Riley while they were here.

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"You look great, Paige," Emily complimented as they walked away from the McCullers. "You definitely made the right choice."

Paige blushed, "Do you think so? I wasn't sure with this being my first time here."

"You're hot!"

Paige knitted her brow in question. "Huh?" _Did Emily just say she is hot?_

"Um…I said are you hot? With all of those layers on you must be hot." Emily hoped she'd successfully covered for blurting out that Paige is hot.

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "No, I'm ok." She pulled on the lapels of her suit jacket. "This linen is really lightweight and breathable." Paige looked Emily up and down. "You look amazing by the way."

"Thanks," Emily said sweetly.

Laughter near the bar caught Paige's attention. The laugh sounded familiar to her. Looking up she saw that the throaty giggle had come from Riley. Placing her arm around Emily's waist she said, "There's Spencer and Riley. Let's go say hi."

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The group of four girls had a good time standing around talking and laughing. Paige was so glad she had met such a good group of friends. When you're new to a place you never quite know how or where you are going to fit in. With these girls, Paige felt naturally at home. She fit like the missing puzzle piece. Once found and added the full picture comes to life.

Emily noticed Paige's parents talking to Riley's parents near the doors to the balcony. She nudged both girls' shoulders. "Looks like your parents have met."

Paige and Riley turned to watch both sets of parents speaking in a tight group.

Spencer was the first to notice that something seemed a little…off about the conversation. Her uncle's face was set in a scowl. Paige's mom was white as a sheet. This did not appear to be a friendly conversation. "It looks like they are arguing," she pointed out.

"Yeah," Emily agreed. "It kind of does."

Riley and Paige looked at each other not knowing what to make of it. There was definitely something happening.

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"What are you doing here," Chris Hastings asked as he and his wife, Natalie, rushed up to Nick and Claire McCullers.

Nick turned on a dime as he heard the agitated voice behind him. When he recognized who the voice belonged to his eyes widened in shock. "What are YOU doing here?"

"We live here," Natalie answered back. She was having a hard time believing the couple standing in front of her was in the very same room as she and her husband.

"So do we," Claire answered back. The weight of what that could mean settled in the back of her mind. "Nick is stationed at the base."

"You can't be. I would have seen your name on the incoming personnel list," Chris said to Nick.

"I'm sure you did see it. You just forgot my first name. To most people I go by Nick or Nicholas, which is my middle name. On official Army documents I am called my given name, Patrick."

Natalie Hastings brought a trembling hand to her mouth. "Is she here?"

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A few days after the officer's dinner Paige was summoned to her living room. She didn't know why. All she knew was that she had to be present for a family discussion. Surely her dad wasn't being stationed to another base. They'd just gotten here. Paige was starting to really enjoy Rosewood.

Her dad sat on the opposite end of the couch watching her. Paige was starting to feel a little uncomfortable. As far as she knew she hadn't done anything wrong. There was the one night last week when Riley's parents were out of town that the girls slept over at her house. They had snuck some liquor from their bar but she didn't think anyone had found out. It couldn't have been that big of a deal. They didn't even leave the house that night.

Paige heard the doorbell ring which her mom immediately answered. She heard voices in the foyer signaling that someone had arrived. Who could it possibly be? And why were they at her house for what Paige was told is a family meeting?

When Riley and her parents walked into the living room Paige assumed they were busted. She made eye contact with Riley. The other girl seemed just a clueless. She shrugged her shoulders as if to confirm Paige's assumption.

Claire settled on the couch in between Paige and Nick. Riley sat in the oversized armchair while her parents sat next to each other on the love seat.

Nick was the first to speak since it was their house that this little pow-wow was taking place in. "Thanks for coming Chris, Natalie and Riley." He then looked between the two teenagers. "We have something we need to speak with you girls about."

"We're sorry! We won't do it again," Paige blurted. All attention turned to her in that moment.

"Sorry? For what?"

"For sneaking liquor from their bar last week." Paige looked at Mr. and Mrs. Hastings. This wasn't the best way to meet her friend's parents. "Sorry."

The Hastings nodded their heads silently. Paige noticed that Riley's mother hadn't taken her gaze off of her since she walked in the room. _She must be really pissed at me_ Paige thought.

"That's not what we're here to talk about, Paige," her father said with disappointment lacing his words. "But you can bet your weekends that we'll discuss it later."

Chris Hastings turned to his daughter. "We will too."

Claire picked back up on the topic at hand. She turned to Riley, "You may not know this already but you're about to find out so I'll start there. Paige is adopted. She is our daughter but not biologically speaking."

"I didn't know that," Riley said looking at Paige. "Why haven't you ever told us?"

"It hasn't come up. Besides, they are my mom and dad. What's the point in mentioning that I'm adopted? They are the only parents I've ever known. I am their child."

"We adopted Paige when she was two weeks old. About a year prior to that I had miscarried and due to complications as a result afterwards I became sterile." Claire took a deep breath as she reflected on the painful memories. "Nick and I were told that we would never be able to conceive a child."

"Naturally, we were both devastated. Those were very dark days for both of us. We grieved for the baby we had lost and babies we'd never be able to have. In time our hearts began to open to the possibility of adoption. We began the application process and not long after were told that we had been chosen by a single, unwed mother. The mother was unable to keep the child and had chosen us for adoption."

Riley sat riveted listening to the story. She couldn't imagine what that would have been like. "Nick and I were elated! As we learned more about the woman Nick realized he knew who she was. Paige's biological mother worked as a nurse at the base where Nick was stationed. It was all such a blessing, such a divine coincidence that God had created for us."

"Wow, that's a really interesting story, Mrs. McCullers. I'm glad everything worked out for you and Mr. McCullers. And Paige of course. I guess I'm just a little confused as to why my parents and I are here and why you're sharing this story with us."

Claire steeled herself for what she was about to say. "Many, many years after the adoption we found out that Paige had a twin sister. A fraternal twin sister," Claire clarified.

Claire looked at Paige. She could read her daughter like a book; Paige was gob smacked, as it would make sense for her to be. This is the second time in Paige's life where she'd virtually had the rug ripped out right from under her. The notion infuriated Claire but she wouldn't show it. Not in front of Paige. Claire could ring Natalie Hastings neck right now and it made no logical sense as to why. She knew what she had just said would dramatically impact Paige and she was mad at Natalie Hastings for putting her family through this. Still though, if not for Natalie putting Paige up for adoption, she wouldn't have the daughter she loved so much in Paige.

"Do what?" This was completely new information to Paige. "I used to have a twin sister? What happened to her?"

"You STILL have a twin sister, honey. She and her family moved to Rosewood." Claire took a shaky breath. "You are sitting in the room with her now." 

Paige and Riley stared at each other with their mouths gaping open. Their expressions were nearly identical. If it hadn't been for the truth bomb that just exploded in the room it might have been ironically funny.

Riley swallowed hard. Her stomach roiled. "Mom," she said very slowly. Then she asked in rapid fire, "What is going on? Paige is my twin? Are you my mom? Am I adopted? I don't understand what's happening!" Her eyes started to water. Reality around her seemed disjointed. It was as if the room had suddenly filled with fog; like the scene blackening kind from a 1940's black and white film. She couldn't clearly see anything. She heard voices but she had a difficult time discerning who they belonged to and in what direction they came from.

"Riley, I am your mom. Your biological mom. You are not adopted."

Paige had just heard three sentences that shook her to the core…even more so than she had just been 30 seconds prior. She had a difficult time wrapping her head around what was being said around her. "Then that means…"

Natalie Hastings had tears streaming down her face. From the minute she first saw Nick and Claire McCullers at the Rosewood Country Club her world, or the one she knew, was spinning out of control. Because if Nick and Claire were in Rosewood then that had to mean that their daughter was in Rosewood too. She didn't think she would be able to handle being in the same town with her other biological daughter. Giving her up for adoption was the hardest thing she's ever lived through.

"Yes, Paige. I am your biological mother," Natalie Hastings confirmed. The anguish in her voice was palpable.

Paige immediately broke down in tears. She looked at her parents. "Mom, Dad?"

"It's true, Paige. Running into Natalie at the club the other night was an enormous shock. Nevertheless, we knew we had to tell you…both," Nick said, looking finally to Riley.

"Mom," Riley yelled. "You have kept a twin sister from me for nearly 18 damn years! Why did you let them adopt her? She's my sister! We've lost so much time."

Riley was crying in earnest now. It broke Paige's heart to see it. On instinct she got up from where she was seated on the couch and went to sit in the oversized armchair next to Riley. It was a tight fit but they managed it. "I'm so sorry, Paige," Riley cried. Paige cried with her.

By now everyone in the room was in tears. "Giving Paige up for adoption was the most gut wrenching decision I've ever made. It wasn't easy," Natalie said between moments of sucking in deep breaths. "Paige, you must believe that I felt it was the right decision at the time. I was a single mother who became pregnant due to an affair with a married high-ranking officer. I didn't know at the time that he was married, but I found out when I told him I was pregnant. He threatened me that if I told anyone he was the father he would deny it. Not only that but he would make sure I would lose my position. My only option was to give my babies up for adoption."

Paige sniffed. "Yeah, but you had two and only gave up one."

Natalie nodded her head. Paige was right and she needed to explain why she kept one baby and not the other. "Riley doesn't remember this, but she was born with a heart condition. For the first several months of her life she was hooked up to monitors that recorded every blip of her heart rhythm 24 hours a day. Thankfully, due to early treatment she's fine now. You'd never know it. By two years old she ran around like any other child of her age. But as a newborn the condition was obvious. The adoption agency told me it might be difficult for Riley to be placed with a family." She shook her head. "I couldn't let that happen. You had already been adopted by the McCullers, Paige. I knew you were in a loving home with two very good people. Riley deserved that too so I did the only thing I could as a mother, I made the decision to keep her."

Paige felt rage shoot through her. "Why didn't you adopt Riley too," Paige asked her mom and dad. "You left her to be adopted by someone else." She looked wildly to everyone in the room. "You all kept us apart!"

"We didn't know about Riley. Believe us, please. If we had this all may have worked out very differently. None of this," her dad motioned around the room, "changes that you are our daughter and we love you very much. We're so glad that Riley and her parents are in Rosewood too. You and Riley can start to get to know each other." He made a point to leave out mentioning Natalie. If Paige wanted to get to know her birth mom, that would be up to her. They'd cross that bridge if they came to it. This was about Riley and Paige.

Paige realized something as she looked at Chris Hastings. She became immediately angry with him. "Are you the asshole that told her," she pointed at Natalie Hastings, "that you would deny her kids and strip her of her job?"

Riley answered before anyone else could. "He isn't my biological dad. Mom married him a few years after I was born. For all intents and purposes he is my dad; a really great one." She offered him a quick smile between sniffles.

"I love her as my own," Chris pointed out.

"Once I decided to keep Riley, the man who I had been seeing was true to his word. I was immediately removed from my position as a nurse. That was a very tough time. But, we got through it, Riley and me, and I enrolled in medical school. I'm now an orthopedic surgeon. Chris and I met at the hospital I used to work in. He was there visiting one of my patients."

"I'm a lawyer," Chris supplied. "I was at the hospital visiting one of my clients who we had a case pending with. He was hit by a drunk driver and required extensive corrective knee surgery afterwards."

"Claire and I never did find out why you are now living in Rosewood," Nick mentioned.

"I decided to join my brother Peter's law firm. He needed someone with my background to help represent the military base and its personnel. He offered me partnership if I made the move. It was a no brainer for us as a family. Back in Philadelphia it was just us. Riley and Spencer are very close. And here we are."

Paige had not been paying attention to a thing that was said in the past five minutes or so. She could care less how Chris and Natalie Hastings met. She wanted Riley's dad to shut his stupid mouth and leave with his stupid face. And maybe Riley's mom too…her mom…or whatever she is now.

Or Paige could leave. She would do anything to not be in that room right now. It was suffocating her. Not even the comfort of Riley sitting next to her was lessening the tension that was coiling throughout her body. "I need a minute," Paige said as she got up and started to walk out of the room.

Natalie reached for her hand as she passed. Paige pulled her arm away before she could manage to grab hold. "Let her go," Claire said. "She needs some time. I think we all do."

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Once Paige reached the stairs she took them two at a time until she reached the top landing. She stumbled to her bedroom on shaky legs. As soon as she walked through the threshold the dam that was holding back her sobs broke. The tears breached her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.

The crying only intensified when she looked over to her nightstand and saw a picture of her mom, dad and her. It was taken in Washington D.C. two years ago. Nick was there for meetings and Paige and Claire tagged along. They made a mini family vacation out of the trip. The picture was taken in front of the Lincoln Monument. When Paige was in the fifth grade she had chosen "Honest Abe" to do a report on for History. Since that moment he had been Paige's favorite president.

Paige needed to talk to someone. She needed to vent. She needed to cry. She needed comfort. She needed a soothing voice of reason. She needed someone to pull her back from the ledge of despair she is currently teetering on. And she knew who that person was. Grabbing her phone, she browsed the contacts and hit the call button when she found the name.

Within two rings her call was answered. Paige didn't even wait for a greeting before she spoke. "Emily, can I talk to you?"

 **A/N: Ta-da! The prompt I got was to write a twin fic. As a twin myself, I was immediately drawn to this idea. In fact, I thought of three different scenarios until I whittled them down to this one. While my family situation, thankfully, is nothing like Paige and Riley's, being a twin is certainly something I relate to. So, a twin fic and Paily…I am looking forward to seeing where this goes.**

 _ **thecatfromaliceinwonderland**_ **: You win! You were right. (about a sibling in Rosewood) :) I like the way you put the Emily/Paige relationship, "they're dancing like ballerinas around each other." Too true.**


	6. Chapter 6

**So last chapter was a surprise then, huh? Little twist in there. :)**

 **Chapter 6**

Spencer, Aria, Hanna and Emily were sitting at a table near the back of The Apple Rose Grill. The four of them decided to have an impromptu lunch to wrap their heads around the Hastings/McCullers revelation. None of them could believe it. Rosewood is a small town. Once word got out they could only imagine the rumor mill that would turn. They hated that their friends would be at the center of it.

"Does this mean that Paige is your cousin," Hanna asked Spencer.

"No, I don't think so. Not really. Not technically anyway."

"But your uncle is Riley's dad," Hanna pointed out.

"Yeah, but Uncle Chris is Riley's adopted dad, not her birth father. Riley is my cousin because my uncle adopted her when Natalie and he got married. Natalie is my aunt through marriage. Paige isn't related to Chris and that's how Riley is my cousin." Spencer massaged her temples. Even to her it sounded ridiculous and more than a little confusing.

Aria leaned back in her chair. "What a mess." She focused her attention on Spencer. "So none of you knew? Your aunt never let it slip like 'oh hey, did I ever tell you about that time I had twins?'"

Spencer increased the pressure radiating from her fingertips as she continued to knead the muscles at her temples. "No, Aria. Only Uncle Chris and Aunt Natalie knew. The rest of us were blissfully unaware until two days ago."

Emily was very quiet during the entire conversation. She didn't think she'd ever forget what Paige's voice sounded like when she'd called her that night. It was filled with grief, confusion, hurt, anger…Emily's heart broke for her. Hearing Spencer talk about it so blasé sent her hackles up. "That's a little harsh, Spencer."

Spencer looked at Emily confused. "What's harsh?"

"That you were 'blissfully unaware until two days ago.' How awful for you, Spence. It must have been difficult to find this out about your cousin and your 'technically' unrelated person."

"You know I didn't mean it like that. That's not fair, Emily."

"What's not fair, Spencer? Is something unfair to you? Did you find out that not only are you adopted, but now you get to live in the same town as the birth mother who gave you up for adoption? Oh, and it just so happens that that birth mother, she had twins. And guess what, she kept one of them…but you weren't the one. You have a twin sister! But for seventeen years of your life you had no idea. And what about the twin sister? How would it feel to know the mother you've had for seventeen years; the mother who tucked you in at night, who doctored up your skinned knees, who baked your birthday cakes…she looked you right in the eyes for each of those birthdays and never once told you that you share that day with a twin. How is any of that fair to THEM?"

"You're getting mad at me for no reason, Emily. I didn't mean anything by what I said and you know that," Spencer pointed out.

Emily looked down at the table. Her eyes began to water. Paige's voice echoed off the walls of her sub consciousness. They hadn't talked since that night, two days ago now, and Emily was worried about her. "You didn't hear Paige, Spencer. I can't imagine what she's going through. This doesn't even seem real."

Spencer nodded her head, "You're right, I didn't hear Paige that night. But I have heard the hushed conversations that have been taking place at my house every night since then. This is affecting our whole family, Emily. It's a big deal."

"Poor Paige and Riley," Hanna said, shaking her head.

Aria looked around the table at the three other girls. "We just need to make sure we are here for them." The girls silently nodded their heads in agreement.

Emily pushed her chair back. She couldn't sit here any longer. She needed to get out and think. She needed to be by herself for a while. Her thoughts have been consumed with Paige for the past two days. She wanted to help her, but how? She wanted to know how she was doing. "I need to go guys." Emily left money on the table for a tip and exited the restaurant quickly.

As soon as the door shut, Spencer looked to Aria and Hanna. "What did I do wrong?"

"Emily didn't mean to come down on you, you know that. She is one of the most compassionate people we know. It's eating her up that Paige is going through this," Aria explained.

"Yeah," Hanna chimed in. "Emily talked to me a little about when Paige called her. The Hastings' were still over at her house when she called Emily. It was THAT fresh. From the way it sounds, Paige was pretty tore up. I think Em is just really concerned about her. I mean, we know Emily has been crushing on Paige but this goes beyond that. They've gotten pretty close since they've been training together."

"I heard my mom talking to my dad last night," Spencer said. "Apparently Riley and Paige are going to start going to a family therapist. That was Paige's mom's suggestion."

"That's probably a good idea," Aria agreed. "Remember when Mike was having those problems about my parents' divorce? We all went to one then and it helped. I know this is a totally different circumstance, but it might be good for them to talk to someone."

"Yeah," Spencer said. She hoped so for her cousin's sake and Paige's.

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The first week Paige was in Rosewood she stumbled upon a lake in the woods near the base her dad worked at. She had been on a run early in the morning and took a trail that was off the beaten path. When she came to the clearing with the lake she was glad she had. It was beautiful and peaceful. This became her spot. She needed the solitude and quiet that this location provides, especially now.

Over the past several weeks things had been going well. Paige was really beginning to like Rosewood. She had met a nice group of friends, gotten back into swimming, and met a beautiful girl. Emily. On instinct Paige had called her THAT NIGHT. She knew as long as she lived she'd never forget that night. She also knew she'd never forget Emily being there for her when she needed someone.

That Paige had called her spoke volumes. It meant that even in that relatively short amount of time, Paige trusted Emily. She felt very close to her and she knew Emily would be there for her. She was so glad to have met her. If the move to Rosewood had no other positive attributes, at least it did have Emily Fields. And that would have been the saving grace.

When you move to a new city you never know what you're going to get. At this point, Paige learned to roll with it. Rosewood would be just another stop along the way. But it was now clear to Paige that it wouldn't be that way here. Not now.

Paige's mind was swirling like tornado. Her thoughts and emotions were left scattered like a debris field throughout her psyche. She wished she could separate them, consider them and place them in some sort of discernible order. At least then she'd be able to manage through; maybe get a handle on her life.

Paige leaned her head against a boulder near the side of the lake and closed her eyes. She tried to silence her thoughts. She focused instead on the sound of the cicadas in the trees that surrounded the lake. Their singing was like the steady thrum of a turbine churning. It was almost entrancing. From sun up to sun down this is the sound of summer. It reminded her of the days she spent in Kentucky at Fort Campbell. That seemed so long ago now but in reality it had been two months.

That was a simpler time before she knew what she does now. Would she erase what she's learned as if it hadn't happened? Is ignorance really bliss? On one hand, she wouldn't feel the myriad of emotions that she does now. That didn't sound so bad; what she's dealing with now is gut wrenching. But on the other hand, she'd still have a sister that she knew nothing about. That wasn't good either.

The sound of crunching pebbles under someone's approaching steps cut through the hymn from the cicadas. Paige opened her eyes and peered around the boulder to see who was coming. In all the time she's been out here not once has someone else come along. "Emily?"

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Emily walked along the pathways in the woods near her dad's base. The forest the base is tucked into is restricted for the most part. There are only five acres open to the public where there are walking trails, a lake and picnic area.

Familiar pathways guided her along the winding trails. She was on autopilot while her thoughts were consumed with Paige. She couldn't get their conversation out of her mind.

 _~Two nights prior~_

 _Emily sat on her bed immersed in the new book she'd just picked up. She is a little old fashioned in some regards, she supposed. While most people her age read on their iPads or eReaders, Emily prefers an actual book. She likes to see her progress as she advances through the chapters with the signs of pages dog-eared along her journey. They map-out the footprints she's left along her way to other worlds and other times. She likes the feel of the paper as she turns the pages. And the smell; books do have a smell and she loves it. Fibers, ink, binding: they all add up to a sensory experience for her. Books smell of imagination, of knowledge, of possibilities, of hopes, of dreams, of romance, of adventure and so much more._

 _Emily reads just about anything she can get her hands on that is of any interest to her. Right now her current choice is a book on the first US female swim team Olympian to win Gold._

 _The phone ringing on her nightstand pulled Emily away from the depths of the Olympic pool the Ghost Writer is describing in the book. Emily dog-eared the page and reached for her phone. Seeing that it was Paige, she smiled and unlocked the phone to take the call._

 _She didn't even get out a greeting before she heard Paige say, "Emily, can I talk to you?"_

 _Emily knew immediately that something was wrong. Paige's voice sounded so wounded; broken even. Something has happened that clearly was upsetting for Paige. Emily promptly dropped her book and sat up straighter on the bed. "Paige, what's wrong?"_

 _Paige sniffled into the phone, "I just need to talk to someone. I- I don't know what's happening."_

 _Emily sat up on her knees now. Her hand wrapped tighter around her phone. "Paige, where are you?"_

" _Home."_

" _Something happened at your house? What happened?" Emily's voice trembled with concern._

" _They're still here. I can hear them talking downstairs." Paige let out a short sob as she finished._

" _You're worrying me, Paige. Who is there? Is someone in your house?" Emily was ready to dial 911 if she needed to._

" _Mr. and Mrs. Hastings and Riley. They're downstairs with my parents. It's so fucked up," Paige shouted the last part._

 _Emily tried to calm her own rapid heartbeat. Paige wasn't making any sense to her. She needed to calm Paige down before she could get the girl explain what was happening. "Paige, are you in harm?"_

" _No."_

" _Ok, good." Emily took a breath of relief. "Now I need you to take a couple deep breaths with me. I'm going to count to four while you take a deep breath and hold it." When she didn't get anything back from Paige, Emily proceeded. "In one-two-three-four, now out one-two-three-four."_

 _Emily did that two more times. She heard Paige's deep inhales and exhales and hoped this would work. "Please talk to me, Paige. What is wrong?"_

" _I have a sister," Paige whispered through the phone line._

" _You have a sister? I didn't know you have a sister." Emily wondered why Paige had never mentioned the sister. Also, how could Emily have never met her? And what did this have to do with what's upsetting Paige? Did something happen to the sister?_

" _Neither did I," Paige explained. "My mom and dad just told me."_

 _Emily was shocked. She had to have heard something wrong. "You're parents just told you that you have a sister?"_

" _It's Riley."_

" _What's Riley?"_

" _My sister, it's Riley Hastings." The words felt foreign coming out of Paige's mouth as she said them._

" _I don't understand. Riley Hastings is your sister?" Emily almost pinched herself to see if she was dreaming. Most likely she fell asleep on her bed with her book lying across her chest. She'd wake up any minute now and shake her head wondering where that bizarre dream came from. No more spicy food after 9pm!_

" _Please don't make me say it again," Paige said as her voice cracked. Emily could hear the torment leak through the fractures of Paige's sentiment._

 _No, this is real, Emily realized. Paige's emotions were authentic and lay bare. "I'm sorry. I was just surprised. You said they are still at your house?"_

" _Yes. I had to walk away. I couldn't take being in the same room anymore. This can't be real," Paige said, almost as an afterthought. Saying everything out loud was not yet bringing actuality to the situation._

" _Did Riley know?"_

 _Paige laughed. It wasn't a "ha,ha" laugh. This was an acerbic, almost Mad Hatter laugh. "No; seems as though she's been lied to for seventeen years too!"_

 _Emily ignored the bite to Paige's words and laugh. She knew the girl was hurting. Paige had called her for a reason. "How is she? How is Riley?"_

" _Not good, Emily. I think we both got gut-punched tonight."_

 _Emily thought for a moment. Something was a little off. "Paige, I thought you're the same age as all of us."_

" _I am. I'm seventeen."_

" _But Riley is seventeen too. How can that be?"_

" _Oh, that's the best part! Are you ready? Get ready 'cause this is a real brain-bender…Riley is my TWIN sister." Emily gasped out loud. "Yeah, that about sums it up right there," Paige said._

 _The anguish that permeated Paige's voice when she first called was now replaced with aggression. It seemed the more she talked about it, the angrier she was becoming. Emily could only imagine the range of emotions that Paige was feeling right now._

" _Is Riley adopted then," Emily asked. She didn't want to pry but it seemed as though talking this through was helping Paige process, or perhaps, if not process the situation, at the very least sort out her emotions._

 _If Riley is adopted she's a wonderful secret keeper because she'd never told any of her friends. Suddenly Emily startled at the thought that perhaps Riley found out both things tonight: that she's adopted and that she's a twin. She worried for her too._

" _No, I am. My mom and dad are not biologically my parents. I've known that for years now. They adopted me when I was two weeks old. What I found out tonight is that Natalie Hastings is my birth mother." Paige thought of the woman sitting on the love seat in her living room. She tried to picture her. Did Paige resemble Natalie Hastings? For now all Paige saw when she conjured up the woman's image was anger, betrayal and hurt. It would most likely be quite some time before she could see past that._

" _Emily, how does a mother do this to her kids?" The anguish was back. The emotional coin had flipped again and in Paige's hands she held despair and sorrow. "You know what it's like growing up being sent from base to base. As an only kid that's especially rough. And here I had a sister the whole time." Paige was crying in earnest again._

" _I don't know, Paige. I don't know," Emily soothed into the phone. She ached to wrap her arms around the girl. For now she could only hope her words might serve as a balm to ease the sting._

" _They knew. My parents knew and they never told me." Paige's words were laced with resentment._

 _The people Paige trusted most in this world had essentially been lying to her if you consider omission the same as dishonesty. But sometimes situations aren't black and white. Life oftentimes throws you into the shades of grey. "Paige, I know it seems like they lied to you. But maybe they had no choice. Maybe they weren't allowed to tell you. Your parents love you, Paige. I saw it in their eyes when I met them. They adore you."_

 _Paige cried harder. "I know." She sniffled into the phone. "Thanks for talking to me, Emily. You're the first person I thought of to call."_

 _Hearing Paige say that warmed Emily's heart. "You can call me anytime, Paige. Day or night. I care about you."_

 _Paige cracked a smile then for the first time in two hours. "I care about you too."_

 _Emily didn't want to get off the phone with Paige but she knew Paige's family was probably wondering about her. "Do you feel up for going back to talk to everyone," she asked quietly. "If they're still there I'm sure they are all wondering about you and concerned. Not to mention it might be good to check on Riley."_

 _Paige nodded her head though she knew Emily couldn't see it. "I guess you're right." Paige was silent for a second before she was going to say goodbye. "Hey, Em?"_

" _Yeah?"_

" _Thanks. Really. I was right to call you. I knew you'd be there for me," Paige admitted._

" _Always, Paige."_

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emily didn't immediately see anyone so when she heard her name she thought she might've imagined it. Then, from behind a boulder 20 feet ahead, Paige stood up and started walking towards her. "Paige. What are you doing here?"

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I needed to get out of the house."

Emily looked around. There wasn't much she could think of to say about that. Not right off the bat anyway. "I didn't think anyone else knew about this place. How did you find it?"

"By chance really. I got off the trail on one of my runs and found this," she swept her arm towards the lake. "It's been my get-away spot ever since."

Emily laughed. "It's my get-away spot too." They walked over to the boulder Paige had just been sitting against and leaned back against it.

Emily turned to face Paige. The girl had puffy dark circles under eyes no doubt from lack of sleep. "So how are you, Paige? Really. I've been worried about you."

Paige inhaled deeply. "I'm sorry for not calling you back. I have no excuse other than to say that things have been crazy around the McCullers house." Emily opened her mouth to say something but Paige continued.

"I think I'm doing ok all things considered." Paige shook her head as she wondered what "ok" really meant. "My parents are walking on eggshells around me so that's a little awkward. I don't blame any of this on them. I'm TRYING not to anyway."

"Have you talked to Riley since the other night," Emily asked.

"Not really. I think we're both kind of going through some stuff."

"Spencer said you guys might do family counseling. I think that's a great idea."

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I'm willing to give it a try. We have an appointment with Dr. Sullivan next week."

"I know her. She's great. My mom, dad and I went to her for a little while."

Paige looked at Emily with curiosity. She wondered why. "There was a time a few years back when I was having a really hard time with my dad being deployed. It started to negatively affect the relationship with my mom, and then I started to resent my dad." Emily looked down sadly. "It wasn't a good time. But Dr. Sullivan is great. She helped a lot."

Paige smiled as she spoke, "You know, I liked Riley a lot when we first met. We connected pretty easily, I think. Maybe there is something to the twin connection."

"Maybe." Emily wanted to make sure Paige knew how much they all really liked her and that none of this would change that. "We all really like you, Paige. I care about you a lot, and I want you to know that I'm here for you."

Paige took Emily's hand. She noticed how soft it was and how it fit perfectly with her own. "That means a lot to me, Emily. I hope you know that." She looked deeply into Emily's eyes. "When I got up to my room that night I was a mess. You could probably tell. I knew I needed to talk to someone. And I knew that someone was you. I just…I knew you'd be there for me. I want to thank you for that. I feel closest to you out of anyone I've met in Rosewood."

Paige has thought a lot about her conversation with Emily that night. It helped her a great deal when everything was so raw. She vaguely remembered having a similar discussion on the phone that night but she wanted to say it again. She needed to. She needed Emily to understand truly how much it meant to her.

Emily vowed to herself then; she'd be whatever Paige needs. Paige is someone who in a short amount of time became very important to Emily. Whether it's right now as friends, as a shoulder to lean on or potentially as more than that in the future, Emily would be everything Paige could hope for and more.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

 _Dr. Sullivan has a calming voice_ Paige thought. This is her first one-on-one appointment with the psychologist and all things considered, it was going moderately well. She felt comfortable enough in the woman's office. Or at least she isn't uncomfortable.

The room is decorated tastefully. A wall of windows faces Main Street in downtown Rosewood. The opposite wall is made of exposed brick and is lined with book shelves from top to bottom towards the center. The door to the waiting area is situated along this wall as well. The bookend walls are painted in a muted cobalt blue. The atmosphere is not clinical in the slightest. About the only thing that gives away the purpose of the space are the medical journals that line the bookshelves. Well, that and Dr. Sullivan's board certification and degrees that are also propped up on the shelves.

Paige noticed the degrees straight away. "Anne Marie Sullivan," they read, graduated from Notre Dame for her undergrad and Pepperdine for her doctorate. Paige was impressed. _Dr. Sullivan ain't no slouch_ she thought.

"Paige?"

She heard her name as she was pulled from her inner monologue. "Hmm? Sorry, what did you say?"

Dr. Sullivan smiled and repeated her question. "I said it's been a week now since you found out about your relation to Riley. How have you been?"

 _How have I been_ Paige wondered. Dazed and confused, bewildered and bemoaned, anguished and angry and dare she say, happy even. She's her very own version of Snow White's seven dwarves. And two of these emotions have her twisted inside. How can you be paradoxically happy and angry at the same time?

Dr. Sullivan confused Paige's silence as hesitancy. "You're free to feel whatever you need. Are you angry, Paige?"

"Yes."

"That's a perfectly acceptable reaction," Dr. Sullivan confirmed.

"But I'm happy too," Paige said, finally raising her eyes to meet Dr. Sullivan's.

"You say that with some trepidation. Why?"

"Well does it even make sense to be happy about this," Paige said with a raise of her hands. "I get so mad and sad then mad again. But sometimes there are moments when I feel flickers of happiness. They just come out of nowhere. My whole life, it seems, has been completely out of my own hands and here and I can't even get a grip on my individual emotions."

"Paige, as I said, you're free to feel whatever you do. I would like you to tell me why you are happy. What is it that causes you to feel happiness regarding this situation?"

Paige thought of Riley. She immediately liked the girl when they met. They got on really well together. And now it turns out that this girl is her sister; her twin even. "I think about Riley. Not how I found out that she's my sister, but that she IS my sister. I have a sister." A slight smile crept along Paige's features.

"That's good. I am glad to know you can associate happiness with Riley." Dr. Sullivan paused for a moment as she prepared to continue feeling Paige out. "And what makes you angry, Paige?"

This is the emotion that Paige was having the hardest time wrangling. "There aren't many things about this that don't make me angry."

Dr. Sullivan expected that. At seventeen years old, something like this would be monumental in a person's life. At any age it would be hard to understand, but as a late teen, it could be traumatic. "What specifically?"

Paige took a deep calming breath. If she didn't, she feared she would grow angry as she spoke. "I'm mad at my parents for not telling me. I'm mad at Natalie for the decisions she made. I'm mad that I've lost out on seventeen years with my sister. I'm mad…I'm just mad, I guess."

The anger at her parents had subsided a bit once she got a better understanding of the full picture. Nick and Claire sat Paige down a few nights ago to talk to her about what happened. They found out about Riley on accident. They weren't even supposed to know.

 _~8 years ago~_

 _Paige's pediatrician suggested that she should have her tonsils removed when she was in the 3_ _rd_ _grade. As part of the pre-registration questions for surgery, Nick and Claire had to answer questions about family medical background. As Paige did not share their genes, they could not fully answer some of the questions._

 _Nick called the adoption agency to see what he could find out from them about Paige's biological parents' medical background. He gave the case worker Paige's birth date and mother's name so the man could pull the accurate file._

 _The case worker perused the information and said, "Are you the adopted parent of Baby #1 or Baby #2? And I'll need your Social, please."_

" _What are you talking about," Nick asked. "There's just the one."_

 _The case worker flipped through the file. "No it says here- oh, the birth mother kept the twin after all."_

" _Twin? What twin?"_

 _The case worker clammed up when he realized he had made a huge error. He had just released confidential information that he did not have clearance to divulge. "I'm sorry, sir. I can't say anything further on that topic. You wanted to know medical history?"_

 _Nick and Claire were told nothing more at that point. All they knew was that it seems as though Natalie had had two babies, twins. Try as they may, they couldn't find out anything else nor could they track down anyone willing to give them information on the matter._

~Present day~

"Have you talked to Riley yet," Paige asked Dr. Sullivan.

"No, I have not. I will only tell you that Riley's appointment is right after yours today." Paige nodded her head at that.

"Paige, you know I cannot talk to you about anything Riley and I discuss in our one-on-one sessions just as I cannot do the same with her regarding you. Doing so would be a breach of doctor-patient confidentiality."

"I understand," Paige accepted.

"But we will advance to joint sessions once we've made progress individually. I think at a certain point it will be important to have you two speak with me together." Dr. Sullivan looked at the digital clock that hung on her wall. "Our time is up for today, Paige. Thank you for coming in and for your cooperation. I'll see you next week, OK?"

"Sure, Dr. Sullivan. Thanks," Paige said as she made her way out of the door. She already felt just a bit lighter; the monkey on her back had lost a little weight during the past 45 minutes.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Riley fidgeted in her seat as she sat in the waiting room outside of Dr. Sullivan's office. She'd never been to a psychologist before and had no idea what to expect. The door to the doctor's private office opened and out walked a tall, slender woman with dark brown hair. She carried herself very professionally.

"Riley," the woman asked.

Riley looked up. "That's me." It's not as if it could have been anyone else. She's the only other person in the waiting room.

The woman extended her hand to shake Riley's in greeting. "I'm Dr. Sullivan. If you'll come this way," she motioned to the door she had just walked out of, "we'll get started."

Riley sat on the cream colored leather couch across from Dr. Sullivan's desk. She sank into its softness as the plush leather and cushions hugged her body. It felt nice. She needed the security right now. If that meant being submerged in the softness of a leather couch she'd take it at the moment.

"Thank you for coming today, Riley," Dr. Sullivan started.

Riley looked quickly around the room. It felt small to her. Confined. She was nervous about being here and her level of comfort reflected that. "I don't know what I'm supposed to do," she admitted.

"We're just going to talk," Dr. Sullivan soothed. "There is no pressure here. There is no right or wrong answers. There is no right or wrong reactions. I don't want you to hold anything back."

"OK…."

"Your mom filled me in on what happened last week. I know you found out about your twin sister, Paige."

"Yeah," Riley simply said.

Dr. Sullivan knew a little about how Riley was coping through her conversation with Natalie Hastings. She had a pretty good idea where to start this session off. "How have things been with your mom since then?"

Riley sat there in silence. The topic of her mom could evoke resentment and anger at the speed of light.

"Riley, do you feel comfortable answering my question?"

Riley looked down to her lap. She hadn't even realized she was picking her nails. It's a habit she's had all her life. "I can't even look at her. My mom; I can't look at her."

"What do you feel when you do look at your mom? Or think of her."

"I get mad. I get so mad I want to kick something. Or throw something. Or punch something. And I get sad. Like I could cry and never stop. Like I could sink to the floor and not ever get up." Dr. Sullivan knew Riley's feelings were coming from a deep place. She said each word with conviction. She felt these things with everything she had.

"Have you tried talking to her? Has she tried talking to you?"

"Yes." It was four nights ago. Riley had finally come out of her room and was sitting in the dining room looking out at her backyard. She thought she had the whole house to herself until the door to the garage opened and her mom walked through.

 _~4 nights ago~_

" _Honey, you came downstairs," Natalie said with some relief. She was worried her daughter would never venture out of her bedroom again. No amount of coaxing was helping. "Riley," Natalie said as she pulled a dining room chair out to sit near her daughter. "We need to talk. I'm your mom, I care about you. I don't want to see you hurting like this."_

 _Riley sat there still staring out of the window. Not for a second had she turned to face her mother. "A mom doesn't give her kids up for adoption."_

 _Natalie felt the oxygen get sucked out of her lungs. Her chest tightened in despair. "A mother does what she thinks is best for her kids. I was in an impossible situation. I was young. I was scared. You can't know what that was like."_

" _Yeah, well. Sorry you ended up stuck with me." The thought that her mom had put her up for adoption had plagued Riley's thoughts. If not for a heart condition at birth, she'd have totally different parents right now._

" _Is that really what you think?" Natalie's heart broke when Riley didn't contradict her. "Riley, you are a blessing. I love you. I always have and I always will."_

" _I don't know what to think! I have a sister! A twin SISTER that I knew nothing about for seventeen years. How could you keep this from me?" Riley looked at her mom for a split second before turning to the backyard again._

" _Paige was…IS…a blessing too. Do I wish things had worked out differently? I do. Hindsight truly is 20/20. But I won't interfere with the life Paige has with the McCullers. They are good people and they love Paige unconditionally."_

 _Riley stood and looked down at her mother. "I don't know that I'll ever forgive you for what you've done. For me and Paige." Riley stomped from the room leaving her mom sitting there by herself. Riley desperately needed something to make this all better. Her family was virtually torn apart at the seams._

~Present Day~

"It didn't go so great," Riley admitted.

Dr. Sullivan nodded her head. "Give it time, Riley. I'm sure your mom understands. I do encourage you however, to try to find some understanding for her too. Even if it's in small steps."

"I will. I'll try."

"Good." Dr. Sullivan wanted to address Paige while Riley was here today too. "You had gotten to know Paige a little before this turn of events, right?"

"Yes, we've hung out some and we played field hockey together the other day," Riley answered eagerly. Dr. Sullivan was encouraged by the slight upturn of Riley's mood at the mention of Paige.

"Did you have fun?"

Riley smiled. "Yeah, I like Paige. She's cool."

"Cool," Dr. Sullivan repeated. "That's good." Riley laughed at that. "Keep getting to know Paige, Riley. The more time you two can spend together trying to bridge this gap, the better." Their session soon wrapped up and Riley confirmed her appointment for next week.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Riley stepped out of Dr. Sullivan's office onto the brick lined sidewalks along Main Street. "Hey," she heard someone say to the right of her.

She squinted her eyes attempting to adjusted to the bright sunlight as she looked over to see who it was. "Hi, Paige. Is running into you a coincidence or no?"

Paige smiled. "You got me. I talked to Dr. Sullivan before you. I knew you were going to see her right after me."

Riley nodded her head. What should she say in response to that?

Paige rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "If you aren't busy right now, would you maybe want to talk? Go to the Brew for coffee or something?"

Riley's immediate reaction would have been to say no. She wasn't sure she was ready for this. It might be awkward now. Then she remembered what Dr. Sullivan had just said _"Keep getting to know Paige, Riley."_ Time to start building that bridge. "Sure, Paige. Let's go."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Riley and Paige walked through the door of the Brew to see their group of friends sitting at a table near the front.

They walked over to say hello to Emily, Spencer, Hanna and Aria. "Hey," Riley said as she waved her right hand at waist level. "Hey guys," Paige said as she also waved her right hand at waist level. Neither girl noticed the similar gesture.

None of the other four girls said anything right away. They sat there looking at Riley and Paige. Truth be told, they were still in shock and were surprised, for some reason, to see them together.

"So, are you guys identical or fraternal?" Hanna asked suddenly. Paige and Riley looked at each other in surprise.

"You did NOT just ask that," Spencer chastised.

"What? No one else was saying anything." Hanna rolled her eyes then pouted.

"Maybe you don't understand what fraternal means but you know what identical means and they clearly are not that." When Spencer heard the news about Riley and Paige she did as much research as she could about twins. The most common type is fraternal where the twins share common genes but not all of them…on average 50 percent. Identical twins are just that. They share complete identical genes; most of the time they are very hard to tell apart in their resemblance.

The rest of the table mates turned to look over Paige and Riley. Yep, you couldn't get any two different looking twins. The only thing similar seems to be their proximity in height. The differences are noticeable. Riley's hair is a red shade of auburn versus Paige's of caramel brown with strands of lighter colors throughout. Riley has blue eyes that sparkle like sapphires whereas Paige has brown eyes that shine like chocolate diamonds. Paige has begun building a tan the past several weeks but Riley's skin tone remains creamy white. No one would pick them out as sisters much less twins. Their facial features shared no similar qualities either.

Emily smiled at Paige. She was glad to see her and Riley together. "What are you two doing today?"

"We both saw Dr. Sullivan this afternoon," Paige said as she gestured to Riley. "We decided to stop in for some coffee or something."

"What did you talk about?" Hanna was nothing if not curious by nature. She likes people and conversation. She thought nothing of asking such a personal question.

Aria put her hand on Hanna's arm. "Ignore her," she said. "You don't have to answer that. In fact, we've probably taken up too much of your time already. You didn't come here to talk to us."

Riley appreciated what Aria said. "We probably should go ahead and get a table. You think," she asked looking at Paige.

"Yeah," Paige said as she turned back noticing a vacant table. "There's a two-seater open in the back."

They all said goodbye. As Paige started to walk away she turned again towards the table. "Call you later, Em," she asked.

Emily smiled. "Definitely."

Emily watched Paige walk away with Riley and sit across from her at the table. It put her at ease to see the sisters interacting. Paige hasn't been up to train with her this week but they have talked on the phone every night. She was starting to feel a connection with Paige unlike anything she'd ever known.

 **A/N: This chapter wasn't what I would deem warm and fuzzy, but I do hope that it was fairly realistic to what Paige and Riley might be going through. I'll just tell you now; there will be moments like this interjected into the story. It will not be dark by any means but there will be truth, as I perceive it, to the situation. Luckily, Paige will have Emily to lean on (I do love Paily). There's going to be a lot of good Riley/Paige time too. (and add in pseudo-cousin Spencer)**

 **I had to throw in Hanna's "identical or fraternal" question because it is far and away the #1 question my sister and I are ALWAYS asked when someone finds out we are twins. We are just as opposite in resemblance, actually more so. I never understand how someone can look right at us yet ask that question; hence why Hanna asked them. I wanted to make a clear distinction of their looks to put it out there that Paige and Riley are not identical and this seemed like a good way to do that.**


	8. Chapter 8

_**siophiefandom-**_ **Re: the Snow White thing, when I went back to read what I had written suddenly that thought went through my mind. So I wrote it in.**

 _ **KatInAHat10-**_ **Well I bet you got a bit of a shock when you read this. I suppose in the reaches of my mind I considered that something like what's happened in this story could be another person's reality, but I don't know anyone it's happened to. When I got the twin fic prompt three versions of a story started to formulate. This is the one that pulled to the forefront and thus what I chose to write on. I'm sure when based in reality this is much tougher than what I've written. I appreciate your opinion that I'm handling things well as of now. I will try to keep doing that.**

 _ **DarkBlueMint-**_ **Ha! I've gotten to the point that I find humor in the question. But don't you want to stare at the person who's asked and just walk in away in silence? I've told my sister on multiple occasions that the next time someone asks us if we're identical or fraternal I'm going to tell them we're identical. I am curious to see if that registers with them. My sister has yet to get on board. :)**

 _ **thecatfromaliceinwonderland-**_ **Thanks! I'll be honest; I'm going with my gut reactions so to hear that my handling is not considered way off base is good. I had to think about the Dr. Sullivan sessions. I have zero psychology background so I'm truly winging it. And I love Hanna too.**

 _ **subway20-**_ **Thank you. Ah the "twin vibe." Somehow it really is a thing. I'll admit something here: in the 5** **th** **grade my sister and I plus two other sets of twins from our grade were involved in another 5** **th** **graders rudimentary science fair experiment. He took my sister and I (fraternal twins), a set of girl identical twins and a set of boy/girl (obviously fraternal) twins. Each set of twins had to sit back-to-back on the stage in the auditorium with just the other 5** **th** **grader and his science teacher. One twin was given a set of note cards with random colors, shapes or words, and the other twin had to guess what was on the card their brother/sister was looking at. Then the cards were completely changed out and we switched roles. The identical twins scored the highest followed by my sister and me then the fraternal boy/girl twins. I've been intrigued since then.**

 **This is a fun little chapter…**

 **Chapter 8**

Paige and Riley sat at a two-top table tucked into an alcove near the back of the Brew. This would give them enough privacy to have a conversation but not so much so that they were secluded.

The two sisters looked at each other as they sat across the table, neither girl knowing exactly where to start a conversation. Paige hadn't really thought it out; she just knew that she wanted to invite Riley for coffee.

"So, Hanna, huh," Paige said with a laugh. She tried not to make the rhetorical question sound forced or nervous.

Riley laughed out loud. "She's a hot mess. We love her though," she said with a shake her head. "You might never know it, but Hanna is actually very intelligent."

Paige smiled. "I can see that. I like your friends. You're all very different from each other but it works."

Riley was quiet a moment. "They are your friends too now, you know? They all really like you. I do too. I was starting to consider you a good friend."

"Yeah, until-" Paige started to say.

"I still consider you a friend. Now you're a friend that happens to be my sister, too." Riley sat on the edge of her seat and leaned in, placing her arms on the table crossed in front of her. "Paige, neither one of us knew about each other. We can't change that and we can't turn back time. I just…I don't want things to be awkward with us now."

"Me either. I was just starting to get to know you," Paige admitted.

"So let's make an effort. Instead of looking back, let's try to look forward." That was only way Riley could see hope or happiness come out of the situation. She's not a negative person by nature so she determined to take steps towards resolution.

"I'd really like that, Riley." Paige was relieved to hear Riley say that. Truth be told, she really doesn't know Riley well. She wondered how her new sister might handle the situation and was glad to know they were of the same thought process.

"OK," Riley leaned back in her chair. "Getting to know you 101: Do you have a boyfriend, or did you have one back in Kentucky? I don't think I've heard you mention him if you did."

Paige hesitated before answering. She nervously started picking at her fingernails. 

"You pick your nails," Riley noticed looking at Paige's hands.

Paige looked down not even realizing she'd done it. "Yeah, I guess so. I don't even realize I do it. My mom tells me it's a disgusting habit."

Riley laughed. "I do too, see?" She held her hands out for Paige to look at. "I've tried everything to stop. Just can't kick it."

Paige looked down to Riley's hands. It's the first time she's ever noticed anything similar about them. As long as Paige can remember she's picked at her fingernails. Time and time again her mother got on her about it. And every time Paige just kept on doing it. Sometimes she leaves them on the coffee table in the living room. Now granted, that is disgusting but she only does it to annoy her mom.

"I interrupted you before you answered my question. Sorry." Riley waited for Paige to answer and when she didn't she asked again. "You know, about the boyfriend?"

"Oh, yeah. No, boyfriend," Paige answered quickly.

"Yeah, same. My ex-boyfriend and I broke up at the end of the school year. Single lady here," she said raising her hand. "Anyway, I doubt you'll have a problem finding a boy when school starts."

"You'd be surprised," Paige mumbled under her breath. She wasn't sure what her hesitation was in telling Riley she's gay. It isn't something she is ashamed of.

"What was that?"

Paige cleared her throat. "Um, actually, I don't think that will happen."

"What? Why? You're cute. Have some confidence," Riley encouraged. They were talking just like normal now. The conversation was flowing naturally. They were clicking just as they had before. If you take away the fact they just a week or so prior they had found they are twin sisters, this would appear to be a normal conversation or occurance.

 _Ok, well here goes_ Paige thought. She decided to get it out there and see what Riley's reaction is. For some reason Paige likened this to boiling spaghetti noodles. She learned in an exceptionally boring Foods  & Nutrition class junior year an interesting way to test if the noodles were done. The teacher disapproved of the method but a boy in her class showed Paige. You throw a noodle at the wall to see if it sticks. If it sticks, the pasta is done; it's ready for what's next. If it doesn't stick, give it more time.

Time to see if the noodle sticks. "I'm plenty confident; I'm just not interested in any boys." Paige waited a beat to see if there was any realization that showed in Riley's expression. "I'm gay."

"Huh," Riley said as she exhaled. "No shit?" The look on her face was that of surprise.

Paige laughed at the response. She wasn't quite expecting that. "Is that a question," Paige asked laughing again.

"I don't think so," Riley answered laughing with her.

"So you don't have a problem with that?" Paige then realized that was her hesitation in telling Riley. Would Riley take issue with her twin sister being gay? She didn't want to throw another perceived complication in the mix. Although, if Riley did have a problem, tough. She'd have to get over it or accept Paige as she is.

"Oh God, Paige. Give me some credit. I have zero problems with it." Riley rolled her eyes. "One of my best friends is gay."

That was news to Paige. She thought she knew who Riley's closest friends are. Paige made a questioning face. "Who?" _PLEASE, on all things I hold dear, please, PLEASE let it be Emily Fields_ she prayed.

"You don't know? I thought you were supposed to have some sort of sixth sense," Riley teased. Paige shot her a look of annoyance. Riley held up her hands in surrender. "She won't mind me telling you. It's Em."

Paige caught herself before she fist pumped the air in exuberance. _Thank you, thank you, thank you_ she chanted internally. That didn't mean Emily would be interested in her but at least it meant there was a chance.

Riley rubbed her hands together in excitement. "Ok, now that I know what we're working with, we'll have to find you a girlfriend. Is there someone you're already interested in?"

Paige instinctively looked back over to the table that Emily and the other girls were sitting at earlier. They had already left. But then, just as her gaze had done so many times before, her eyes fixated on Emily working at the counter. She must have met the girls before her shift or sat with them on her break.

Riley waved her hand in front of Paige's face. "Heeelllloooo. I kind of asked you a question." Riley glanced behind her seeing a few tables and the take out counter. "What are you staring at?" Realization dawned on her as her eyes widened. "You like Emily!"

Paige snapped out of it hearing Emily's name. "What? No."

"You do! Awe, one of my best friends and my sister. What do you know?" Riley was surprised how easily calling Paige her sister slipped from her mouth. She's not even sure she could say it to anyone else, but she could with Paige. Everything felt organic with her.

"Riley, even if I was interested in Emily, it takes two. Emily probably wouldn't feel the same way."

Riley shrugged her shoulders. "Perhaps, but there's only one way to find out." Riley turned back to the counter again. "It's Thursday, I think Em gets off about 5 o'clock today." She looked at the time on her phone. "That's just fifteen minutes from now. You should stick around."

"Maybe," Paige considered.

"That's my suggestion." Riley began to gather her belongings. "I need to get going. I didn't get a chance to tell my mom and dad I was coming here with you. They are probably wondering about me." She glanced at her phone and seeing three missed calls from her mom, knew that was the case.

Paige and Riley said bye to each other mentioning that they'd get together again soon.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Paige sat at the table nursing her chai tea. She decided it wouldn't hurt to stick around fifteen more minutes. Finally Emily walked around the counter while untying her apron. Her shift must be over. Emily walked towards the swinging kitchen door presumably to the staff lockers and office so she could clock out.

When Paige saw Emily walk back out into the café she got up from her table and made her way towards the girl. "Hey, Em," she said when she was within range.

"Hi, Paige. Where's Riley," she said looking past Paige for the other girl. Emily wasn't sure why she was posturing. She knew Riley wasn't here anymore. She saw her leave fifteen minutes go. And to her joy she saw that Paige had stayed. The truth is, Emily kept Paige in her periphery, at the very least, the entire time she was here.

"She had to head home," Paige answered. "So is your shift over?"

"Yeah, I was just about to head out."

"I'll walk out with you," Paige said as they headed towards the door that would take them out to Main Street. Paige opened the door for Emily and allowed her to walk through.

Paige stood on the sidewalk with her hands in her pockets. There was an awkward silence as they stood there prolonging the goodbye. "Well, ok then. I just wanted to say hi again or I guess goodbye before I left," she said with a crooked grin.

"Oh, right. Thanks," Emily said looking around the town square. It was a nice evening. She wouldn't mind spending more time with Paige but she did not seem to share a similar train of thought. "I'll see you later, Paige," Emily said with a small smile as she began walking towards her car.

Paige allowed Emily to take a few steps before her brain kicked and she called out to her. This girl made Paige nervous and it excited and terrified in equal measure. "Emily, wait."

Emily turned back around to Paige and stopped walking. _Please ask me to stay_ Emily pleaded silently.

"What are you doing tonight? As in now?"

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing really. Just going home I guess." Emily hoped Paige was asking because she wanted to hang out. Honestly, even if she had plans right now she'd tell Paige she didn't. Nothing on her calendar would mean as much as spending more time with Paige.

"My parents are out tonight. I'm kind of on my own for dinner. Well, not really. Mom packaged leftovers, but I don't want them." Paige leaned over and in a whisper confided, "My mom's beef stew is terrible. But don't tell her I said that," she said with a quick wink.

Emily laughed. "So what's on your mind, McCullers?"

"You want to go out to eat with me?"

Emily leaned in towards Paige now. "It's either that or you starve. I don't want that on my conscious," she said with a big smile. Her dimples put on a show of happiness.

Paige swore she could drown in those subtle, yet pronounced dimples. "Where do you want to go?" She'd go anywhere Emily wanted to. If it were to the moon and back she'd happily hitch a ride on a star to show Emily the world.

Emily considered this for a moment. "Wait right here," she told Paige as she placed her hands on Paige's shoulders keeping her rooted to the spot.

Paige watched Emily walk into the Brew wondering what she was up to. Ten minutes later Emily walked out with a paper bag. "What are you up to," Paige asked.

"Dinner," Emily said holding up the bag. "I got us some sandwiches and truffle fries to go. If you're up for it, I've got somewhere I'd like you to see. We can eat there."

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Emily drove Paige to where they were going. The whole time Paige kept asking where they were headed. Emily refused to answer stating that telling her where they were going would diminish the experience.

Emily took a gravel road up a steep incline on the outskirts of town. At a dead end, she stopped the car announcing they were here.

"Where is here," Paige asked looking around. They were surrounded by trees and scrub brush. As far as Paige could tell they were in the middle of nowhere.

Emily reached for her door handle and started to climb out of the vehicle. "You'll see. Grab the food and follow me."

Emily quickly grabbed a picnic blanket out of her trunk. For once she was glad for her mom's nagging and worry. She made her carry a blanket in her trunk year round so it would be there for sure in the winter. "You never know when your car is going to break down in a snow storm, Emily," is what her mom always lectured.

Paige followed Emily along what was left of the gravel road until it ended abruptly at a small thicket. Emily pushed through with Paige right at her heels. On the other side was an expansive bluff overlooking Rosewood.

Emily made her way to a large boulder about ten feet from the edge and laid her blanket on top. "Hop up," she said, patting the blanket. "Check out the view."

Paige settled herself on the boulder as Emily removed their dinner from the bag. Emily made a turkey BLT, bacon extra crispy for Paige just like she likes it and a turkey, avocado, sundried tomato sandwich for herself. They would share the truffle fries.

Paige was in awe of the sights before her. She'd never seen Rosewood quite like this. From up here you could see the neighborhoods spread out like the rings of a spider web. Everyone down there was doing their thing, living their life, coming and going. The lights from the houses, businesses and cars twinkled against a lazy backdrop of small town life. Paige imagined this as a view from the heavens. It was really quite beautiful.

"So what do you think," Emily asked with a nudge of her shoulder.

"It's alright," Paige said nonchalantly.

"Just alright?"

"Eh," she said with a wink.

Emily knew Paige was teasing her. That wink gave her truth away. She is so drawn to this playful side of Paige. Honestly, there isn't a part of Paige that she has yet to find a flaw in. Emily thought about that for a moment before she spoke again.

"Riley can wink too," Emily said.

"Oh yeah," Paige said before putting two fries in her mouth. "Thanks for dinner by the way."

"Yes, and you're welcome," Emily said with a nod. "You two, you and Riley, might be more alike than you think."

"Poor girl," Paige said with another playful wink.

Emily laughed. "How do you even do that? I've never been able to."

"It's easy."

"No, it's not easy," Emily corrected.

Paige turned to face the girl fully. "Let me see you try."

Emily sat down her sandwich so she could concentrate on the task at hand. Her face scrunched up, her nose crinkled and both of her eyes closed. "Did I do it?"

"Um, no. Not even close. That was terrible, Fields!" That was the worst attempt at winking Paige had ever seen. But it was also the most adorable thing Paige had ever seen. "You closed both of your eyes."

"I told you winking is hard," Emily said with a fake pout.

Paige scooted closer to Emily. "I'll help you. Try again…but this time don't do that bunchy thing with your face."

Emily wasn't sure what "bunchy thing" Paige was talking about but whatever. As she started to try winking Paige brought her hands up to Emily's face and kept one eye open. Emily laughed, "What are you doing?"

"You're closing both of your eyes." Paige pulled her hands away from Emily's face. "I tried to keep one open for you."

"That's not going to work. Just tell me how." Emily was enjoying this little game.

"Ok, just relax your face. Don't squeeze both of your eyes shut."

Emily tried but felt both eyelids closing in sync. "It's impossible."

Paige lifted her left hand to Emily's right check. Her fingers gently slid through Emily's soft hair and came to rest at the back of her head. Her thumb brushed against Emily's cheek, just below her eye. As Paige looked directly into Emily's eyes she nearly lost her breath. She had to remind herself that she needed oxygen to live and not just Emily. "You just relax this muscle here and close the other eye." Paige's voice seemed foreign even to herself.

Emily had to grasp the boulder underneath her fingers to prevent herself from lunging forward to capture Paige's lips with her own. Paige was so close; the girl's breath caused Emily's hair to flutter like a gentle breeze had caused it. Her heart fluttered too, but that wasn't from Paige's physical touch. It was her body's reaction to the uncompromising need she felt for Paige. Her mind, body and soul desired this girl.

Emily felt the loss immediately when Paige pulled away. Perhaps Paige could sense Emily's desire? Emily felt terrible if she'd made the girl uncomfortable. "I give up," she said to lighten the mood. Quickly changing tact she said, "You and Riley looked to be getting along well today."

Given Emily's abrupt change of conversation, Paige assumed she'd made Emily uncomfortable. But for a split second she thought she saw, or maybe hoped she saw, desire in Emily's eyes too. She couldn't go on like this. She needed to know if there could be something more between them.

"We had a good time. I think I shocked her a bit though. Or maybe not. I couldn't tell."

"About what?"

"I told her I'm gay." Paige tried to gauge Emily's reaction. Surprise and maybe…relief? Happiness?

"You are?"

"You seem surprised," Paige pointed out.

"No, no, not surprised." _Ecstatic more like_ Emily thought.

"Riley took it really well so that was a relief."

"She'll be supportive of you, Paige. When I came out all of the girls were behind me 100 percent." Emily wanted to make sure Paige knew. She put it out there.

Paige didn't say anything. She didn't want to intimate that Riley had told her or that she already knew.

"I told everyone sophomore year. I was worried about how telling everyone I'm gay would affect our relationships but it worked out."

"Did you have a girlfriend then?"

"I did. My first girlfriend." Emily recalled how freeing it was so finally tell her friends and family and how wonderful it was to be out in the open with her then girlfriend.

"Are you still together?" Paige hoped not. She thought Riley would have told her if so.

"No, we broke up…for the best. I'm not dating anyone now."

"Good," Paige said without censoring herself. Sometimes her filter just didn't work properly.

"Good?" Emily hoped that meant what she thought it might.

Paige decided to go with it. "Yes. I mean I'm sorry that it didn't work out with your ex-girlfriend, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't glad you're single."

"And why is that?" Emily's smile was wide.

Paige reached for Emily's hand. "Because I like you. I've enjoyed getting to know you. And I would like to spend more time with you."

Emily put her hand over Paige's. "I would love that."

The rest of the evening they sat there, on the boulder overlooking Rosewood and just enjoyed simply being with each other. Until the moment they left at least some part of their bodies were in constant contact, though innocently enough. Their shoulders touched as they sat close; Paige's hand rested on Emily's; their hips brushed together as they huddled on the blanket.

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Paige walked Emily to her car when they got back to The Brew. Paige turned to Emily as the girl dug in her purse for her keys. Once Emily found them and looked back up Paige asked, "Would you like to go on an official date with me next week?"

"You mean a brown bag dinner on a hard, dusty rock doesn't count as a date," Emily teased.

"Well it would be hard to beat but how about a proper date? You know; pick you up, wine and dine, good conversation, walk you to your door, and…" Paige trailed off.

"And what?" Emily had a feeling the "and" would be her favorite part of the night. The "do we kiss, do we not" two-step. Emily for one would choose yes, definitely kiss.

"And leave you wanting more." Paige said with a devilish grin.

"Well how can I say no to that? I'm intrigued. I'd love to go out with you."

Paige leaned towards Emily, placing the softest, sweetest of kisses to her cheek. She inhaled deeply as she did so. Emily's skin felt warm and soft under her lips. The warmth radiated through Paige from her lips to the tips of her toes. It's like when she was little and her mom washed and dried her favorite blankie. Paige couldn't wait for it to get out of the dryer so she could sink her face into the warm, soft fabric. It brought her a sense of peace, of comfort, of belonging just as Emily does for her now. How wonderful it is to be this close to Emily Fields. Not many people have that chance and Paige felt so fortunate she does.

"I'll talk to you soon," Paige said she pulled away and looked into Emily's eyes. In them she saw the same dreaminess she was sure hers gave away as well.

Emily almost instinctively brushed her fingers along the cheek that Paige had just kissed with those beautiful pink lips. She was sure if she'd touched that spot she would feel a shock. Electricity pulsed through the touch point; it had to be, her skin was buzzing with the imprint of Paige's lips. She could almost still feel them there: plush, warm, lingering and above all else captivating. Paige promised her after their first date she'd leave Emily wanting more. Mission already accomplished.

"Good night, Paige," Emily nearly whispered as she got into her car.

Paige waved as she watched Emily drive away. She couldn't be happier.


	9. Chapter 9

_**jhas-**_ **That's how I feel when I get behind on a story. It's nice to catch up though, and I'm glad you have been able to. :) Yeah, being a twin is a trip. I really wouldn't have it any other way. I would imagine your friends feel the same. The bond and everything that goes with that is very unique. Thanks- I'm kinda liking this AU character of Riley.**

 _ **Pll12paily-**_ **Thank you! I love that you love the story.**

 _ **Guests-**_ **Y'all are awesome. And to one of you…yes, "finally." I couldn't agree more. :)**

 _ **siophiefandom-**_ **Thanks! But can you not picture Paige fist-bumping at something like that? I SO can.**

 **Chapter 9**

Emily stood at the open door of her closet staring at the rack of clothes before her. She didn't feel excited about any of it. She was too nervous. Well maybe not nervous; anxious perhaps? Every shirt she looked at in her closest reminded her of the one next to it. Every dress was either too short; not short enough, either revealed too much cleavage for a first date; didn't reveal enough…there was fault with every single one. Every pair of jeans missed the mark too. She was glad when her phone chimed indicating a text. Her eyes were getting blurry from staring at the kaleidoscope of clothes before her.

It was a text from Hanna. **Whatcha' doin'?**

 **As if u don't know. Getting ready for date w/Paige.**

Hanna's next text showed the emoji of two girls holding hands and a heart with an arrow through it. **What r u you gonna wear?**

 **? U wouldn't happen to know any fashionable friends?**

 **On way.** Emily knew she could count on Hanna.

Not ten minutes passed before Emily heard her mom let Hanna in the front door. Thirty seconds later Hanna came bouncing into her room with a makeup bag, curling iron, magnifying mirror and travel bag full of hair product.

Emily loved her friend dearly. Even if she didn't help her find a thing to wear she's glad she came over. Hanna is the type of friend that everyone should have. She's fun to be around. Positivity radiates from the girl. Her sense of humor is on point. She could cheer up the most sullen of people. Her sarcasm knows no bounds, yet she knows when to check it at the door and get down to the serious stuff. She's a good listener and oftentimes surprisingly insightful. Simply put, she's a blessing in Emily's life. All of her friends are.

Emily turned towards her friend with a big smile, "Jeez, Han. I don't need THAT much help."

"One can never be too prepared," Hanna said with an exaggerated haute inflection.

Emily laughed and pulled Hanna over to her. "Help."

Hanna looked through Emily's closet. "I don't know why you say you don't have anything to wear. And let's be honest, you could wear a burlap sack and Paige would still be all over you."

"Be serious," Emily said with a swat to Hanna's shoulder.

"I am! If Caleb looked at me the way Paige looks at you I'd be a happy woman." Hanna and Caleb started dating halfway through junior year when he moved to Rosewood. They've been inseparable since then.

"Caleb does look at you that way and you are happy." Emily was glad Hanna had found someone as nice and genuine as Caleb. They were very complimentary for each other.

"Yes, see. You admit that Paige looks at you all dreamy and puppy eyed. Honestly, I don't know why it's taken this long for you two to finally get together."

Emily smiled bashfully. "Quit baiting me and start digging through my clothes," she said as she pushed Hanna into her closet with a laugh.

Three outfits later they were both more than satisfied with what Hanna had come up with.

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The day had finally arrived and Paige could barely contain her excitement. Tonight she will go on a date with Emily Fields. The girl who had captured Paige's attention within one week of arriving into Rosewood would be by her side tonight…as her date.

Paige knew she needed an outlet for this pent up energy coursing through her. If she didn't do something active today she knew she'd drive herself crazy looking at the clock waiting to pick up Emily. With equal certainty, she knew just who to call: Spencer and Riley to see if they wanted to meet at Rosewood High and run some field hockey drills. They both eagerly accepted.

After an hour of constant footwork, attack and defensive drills the three girls took a break near the bleachers.

Paige squinted as the sun hovered above the hockey pitch. "Hey, Spencer. What kind of flowers does Emily like?"

Spencer sat down the towel she was using to wipe her forehead and looked to Paige. Spencer genuinely likes Paige. They get along very well and seem to have similar characteristics; almost too much so at times. "Are you asking because you plan to show up at her door with flowers for your date tonight?"

"Well, yeah. Of course."

Spencer shook her head. "Don't. Emily doesn't like flowers."

"She doesn't like flowers?" _Maybe she's allergic_ Paige wondered.

"Receiving flowers," Spencer clarified. "Emily sees no point in putting flowers in a vase just for them to sit in her room and wilt." Spencer knows her friend through and through. This is exactly how Emily feels. It's great when you first get them but then what? Spencer can't say she disagrees with Emily's view point. It just doesn't seem practical to them.

Riley snorted. "Well that sounds romantic," she said sarcastically. "Paige finally scores a date with Em and Spencer here," she pointed to her cousin, "stomps on it."

Paige ignored Riley. She was all business right now so she asked Spencer again, "Any suggestions? I don't want to show up at her door tonight empty handed."

Spencer thought for a moment. Not once has anyone ever asked her opinion of what to get Emily as a greeting for a first date. Spencer was impressed by Paige's initiative. She likes the girl, sure, but Emily is one of Spencer's best friends. Paige has something to prove to Spencer whether she knows it or not.

"Food. Emily likes food. Like fruit or candy. She likes Junior Mints."

"Junior Mints? Are you really suggesting I walk up to Emily on our first date and hand her a box of convenient store candy?" She raised her hand to Spencer like she was giving her something. "Like 'here, I got you this mint cream covered in chocolate because you know, everyone likes chocolate. And also, I want to kiss your face off so…the mint.' I don't think so, Hastings." But then Paige thought of kissing Emily and her mind wandered. _Or maybe? Nah, she can do better than that_ she tells herself.

Spencer swatted Paige's hand away. "You asked. Don't blame me if you don't like my answer, McCullers."

So Paige is supposed to turn up at Emily's door with a box of Junior Mints? No, that did not feel right. Paige's exterior persona may give off a nonchalance or air of slight indifference but to her core, Paige is anything but. She believes in love, the power of love and is open to the breath of life that love gives. She's also a romantic. Flowers fit her image of romanticism. Junior Mints do not…though they are really good. Paige pulled her phone out of her bag checking the time. She has four hours to figure out what to get Emily.

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Paige sat in her car for a minute listening to the satellite radio and calming her nerves. She ran her palms along the front of her jeans a few times. Each time they came away still feeling a bit clammy. Why was she nervous? Emily and she had been together on numerous occasions. Her subconscious corrected her _Yes, but never on a DATE._ Her first date with Emily Fields and what she hoped would lead to many more.

Resolutely she told herself, she is here and it is time to get out of the car. It was starting to feel stuffy in there anyway. Her nerves were not the best company in the confinement of the vehicle. Paige retrieved the gift for Emily from the passenger side and made her way to the front door of the Fields house. With each step she took towards where she knew Emily to be waiting, the nerves melted away. A peace came over Paige instantly. This was a foreign feeling to her on dry land. She usually only feels this centered in the pool, where she belongs. Paige typically gets very anxious before a race. It's not until she ascends the starting block that her nerves begin to loosen. Then, as she hits the water, they all but disappear. The pool is her sanctuary, the chlorinated liquid her holy water. It cleanses Paige of the anxiety starting from the second her fingertips break the surface of the water. It carries the tension away as it flows over and around her body, finally reaching the tips of her toes until all that is left is a trail of worry in her wake. That's how she feels now walking up to the Fields' front door. The nerves are gone. Paige knows she belongs here, with Emily, about to start something that she hopes, or rather believes, could be a wonderful relationship.

Paige casually looked around the front porch after she rang the doorbell. It looked like a comfortable enough place to sit and maybe read a book. Or just sit and talk. She could picture Emily and Mrs. Fields spending time together out here.

The door swung open and there stood the beautiful, enchanting Emily Fields. She was wearing white skinny jeans with a silky black tank top that stretched across her breasts perfectly. The tank had white and silver chunky beaded embellishments along the neckline which dipped just enough to see the top of the valley between her breasts. Emily wore black flats. The combination of Emily's dark hair and dark shirt made her eyes shine like polished onyx.

Emily's eyes widened as they fully focused on Paige. The summer sun has been good to the girl; very good in fact. Her skin tone has developed into a shade just a touch lighter than that of the shell of a hazelnut. This contrasted with her hair color made the girl radiate with beauty. Paige was wearing slim fit boyfriend jeans rolled to just above her ankles. A lightweight, cashmere heather grey long sleeve-tee hit right at Paige's slim hips. She had the sleeves pushed up her forearms. All of this was paired with soft leather camel colored oxfords. If Emily could pull Paige into the house and rip her clothes off then and there she would have done.

"You look beautiful," Paige said once she could find the words.

"So do you," Emily said with a big smile.

"Here, I got you this," Paige said handing Emily her present.

Emily almost laughed out loud. It was the perfect thing for her. Paige had picked up a bouquet of fruit cut into the shapes of flowers and such. There were watermelon ladybugs, grapes, honeydew wedges cut like the leaves on flowers, pineapple daisies, pineapple stars and strawberries. "Paige, this is so sweet of you. I love it."

The two girls stepped inside so Emily could put the fruit in the refrigerator. On the way she popped a grape into her mouth and smiled at Paige in thanks. Paige said hello to Mr. and Mrs. Fields then assured them she'd have Emily home by 11:00.

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Paige made reservations in advance at a little fusion restaurant with mainly Middle Eastern and Persian food she has been eager to try. Neither of her parents cares much for that particular style of food and knowing Emily does, this was the perfect opportunity.

The couple was seated quickly as they arrived to the hostess stand. Paige loved the décor she was surrounded by. Bright hand-crafted table covers, napkins and curtains were stacked on shelves along one wall as you walk inside ready for the customer to purchase on the way out. Hand painted hookahs perched atop a shelf that ran the perimeter of the entry room with small price tags hanging from them. Paige loves the place already and they haven't had a single thing to eat yet.

Emily and Paige decided on a hummus platter as an appetizer. Both girls had been so busy today trying to count down the minutes that they'd forgotten to eat. Each of them was starving by now. They also shared a pot of Moroccan Mint tea.

"What did you do today," Emily asked Paige once they both decided on an entrée for dinner and placed their orders.

"I played field hockey with Spencer and Riley." Paige laughed. "Actually, Spencer is the one who clued me in that you don't like getting flowers. She told me to bring you Junior Mints."

Emily laughed as well. "It's true, I do like Junior Mints, but I like your idea better. The fruit 'arrangement' was clever. You still found a way to get me flowers…in a roundabout way."

"I do aim to please, especially you." Paige gave Emily a quick, cute little smile. "What did you do today then? I know you weren't with Spencer or Riley."

"Not much. Hanna did come by my house for a while to help me pick out my clothes for tonight."

"Remind me to thank her later," Paige said as she took in the way the beads across the chest of Emily's shirt sparkled in the dim light of the dining room.

Emily smiled. The ease between these two was natural. Tonight was no different. Still though, there is a heightened buzz now between them. Their relationship has reached a new level, one that Emily is extremely happy about. Friendship simply cannot and will not be enough for them. Emily and Paige are meant to be just that: Emily and Paige…together, as if it was always meant to be so. Emily is more certain of that than of anything in her life. It is that confidence which sparks her newfound boldness with Paige.

"Who should I thank for your attire? I almost couldn't speak when you came to my door tonight." Emily was still having a hard time focusing. If this had been anything other than a first date she'd have a very hard time keeping her hands off of Paige right now.

Paige fanned her arms out. "This is all me. To be honest, I tried on about four different outfits before I stuck with this one. And I still second-guessed myself all the way to your house."

Emily licked her lips. "No, you did well. Very well."

"Thanks," Paige said as a blush colored her cheeks.

It seemed like no time had passed before their appetizer plates were removed and their entrées delivered.

Paige looked down at her plate and immediately her mouth watered. If it tastes half as good as it looks and smells she's in for a real treat. She scooped a piece of shrimp onto her fork along with some couscous and a piece of zucchini and red pepper. Her eyes nearly rolled back in her head as the flavors exploded on her tongue. She had never tasted anything this good in her life. The Diavalo Sauce was just spicy enough to make her mouth tingle but not so much so that it made her uncomfortable.

Paige circled her fork above her plate pointing at the food as she made eye contact with Emily. "I'm about to eat all of this."

Emily laughed. "Do it! Mine is delicious too." Emily had ordered chicken served in a creamy yellow curry sauce served with Basmati rice and roasted vegetables. She had no doubt that she would clean her plate as well.

Emily and Paige enjoyed each other's company talking about all sorts of topics that came up as the evening progressed. Their chemistry was undeniable. They could sit in comfortable silence for moments at a time while they ate just as easily as they could talk about their interests, likes and dislikes.

And their attraction towards each other was obvious. There could have been a pink elephant that walked through the room wearing a purple tutu while singing show tunes and neither girl would notice it. They only had eyes for each other and their attention was devoted solely to the gorgeous girl sitting across from them.

Emily excused herself to the ladies room. As she did so Paige watched her walk away towards the direction of the back patio. It was then that Paige noticed the outdoor seating, makeshift dance floor and the local musician out back. A wooden pergola stretched the length of the patio. It was covered on the sides with ivy. From the top hung clear Edison lights.

When Emily returned to the table Paige stood, held her hand out to Emily and asked if she would like to step outside to dance. Emily gladly placed her hand in Paige's and let her lead the way to the patio.

The pianist started the beginning notes of "One and Only" as the female singer prepared to begin a cover of Adele's ballad.

" _You've been on my mind_

 _I grow fonder every day,  
Lose myself in time  
Just thinking of your face  
God only knows  
Why it's taken me so long  
To let my doubts go  
You're the only one that I wanted…."_

Emily had her hands crossed behind Paige's head. She ran her fingers along the nape of Paige's neck in time to the music. Her trimmed fingernails grazed along Paige's skin eliciting a slight shiver from Paige. If Emily had looked, she'd have seen the immediate appearance of goose bumps along Paige's arms. Emily could feel Paige's hands at her waist. With each gentle caress she gave to Paige's neck, Paige returned in kind with a stroke of her thumbs along Emily's waistline right at the top of her jeans. With just bit more pressure from Paige's thumbs to the muscles at Emily's hips, she'd have been a moaning mess. Fortunately, or maybe not depending on how you want to look at it, Paige knew the boundary and kept it intimate, but not over the line.

" _I dare you to let me be your, your one and only  
Promise I'm worthy to hold in your arms  
So come on and give me the chance  
To prove that I'm the one who can  
Walk that mile until the end starts…"_

Paige drew Emily's body closer to hers. If they had been naked right now skin would be touching skin. As it was, both girls could still feel the heat coming from the other girl through their clothes. If Paige could have held Emily in her arms all night just like this she gladly would have. And Emily would have been happy to stay there.

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After a few more songs Emily and Paige decided to leave. If they hadn't, the other patrons on the back patio most likely would have gotten a show.

To cool themselves down they chose to take a walk along the quiet streets of downtown Rosewood. They held hands as they walked side-by-side along the sidewalks lit with old gas lamps.

Emily broke the calm silence that had settled between them. "I have a question for you," she said looking to Paige.

"Ok, let's hear it."

"It's silly," Emily said shyly. "Never mind."

"Well now you have to ask me," Paige said with a chuckle.

"Ok, if you could be in any movie ever made what would it be and why?"

Paige thought for a moment. It was actually a really good question. After giving her answer some careful consideration she said, "National Treasure."

"Hmm, ok. Why is that?"

"First off, I love history. Even though I know none of the props are real it would still be cool. And you know they really filmed some of the scenes on location. Second, I love mystery. The who done it and who's after us and all. And third, I would be like the modern female version of Indiana Jones." Paige scrunched her face up in thought. It's like Emily could see the wheels of Paige's mind turn in the girl's facial features. "Oh…actually, I change my answer to Indiana Jones."

"Nope…sorry. National Treasure was your final answer." Emily shrugged at Paige's pout. "That's the rules."

"Oh so there are rules?"

"Yep," Emily said as she playfully nudged Paige's shoulder. 

"Alright then, Emily. What movie would you choose to be in and why?" Paige pointed at Emily, "And answer well, apparently you only get one."

Emily had already thought of her answer so she was ready. "That's easy. Any of the Mission Impossible movies." Paige remained silent so Emily could explain her reason why. "The reasons seem pretty obvious to me. The locations are all over the world so travel… And I would make sure I'd get to do my own stunts." When Emily was a young child this is what she imagined her dad's job to be like. Top secret missions, world travel, secret code names, high tech gadgets…little did she know that war zones are no movie set.

"Or you could do a James Bond film then!"

Emily shook her head. _Nuh uh._ "No, then I'd most likely just be arm candy in barely-there clothes. In Mission Impossible I could be like an Agent Badass or something."

Paige stopped her pace and looked at Emily from behind. Emily was jerked to a stop. She turned when Paige spoke. "No, it's good. Great even."

"What?" Emily asked with furrowed brows.

"Your ass," Paige teased with a devilish smirk on her face.

Emily pulled her by the hand to get her moving again. "Come on you crazy person." She giggled like a little school girl when your crush gives you your first real valentine with a peck on the cheek.

Paige laughed. "Ok, what's the next question," she asked while falling back into step with Emily. Even their strides were in sync. The two asked each other silly questions back and forth until it was time for Paige to take Emily home.

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Paige and Emily walked hand-in-hand up the front walk to Emily's house. Her parents had left the porch light on for them knowing they would return well after dark.

Emily pulled her house keys from the bottom of her purse and dangled them from her hand as she spoke. "Thanks for an awesome night."

"You're welcome. I'm just glad you agreed to come out with me tonight. I've been crushing on you since the first time I saw you at the Brew."

"You never told me that," Emily said with a wide smile. "Honestly, every day I watched you walk in, before I met you that is, I promised myself I would find a way to talk to you. Luckily Spencer and Riley made it happen."

Both girls laughed nervously. Paige now wished she had not been so bold with Emily before. She had all but promised she would leave Emily wanting more after tonight's date. Now she had to deliver.

Paige leaned towards Emily keeping eye contact with her as their faces drew closer and closer still. Paige gave Emily a brief, chaste kiss before pulling away slightly to look back at Emily. Emily gave a small smile and wet her lips. Paige took the cue and moved in for another kiss, this time lingering a little longer. She let up the pressure slightly and was glad when Emily pushed back into her kissing with eagerness.

The first time Paige's lips touched Emily's, Emily was ready to pin Paige to her front door. But this build up that Paige was pushing and pulling her through was delicious. Paige cupped Emily's neck with her hand to pull her tighter. As she did so, Emily placed both hands on Paige's waist and closed the distance even more. Paige felt Emily everywhere, the most obvious of places in her heart.

Emily sensually, albeit playfully, pulled on Paige's bottom lip with her teeth then flicked over the spot with her tongue. Once Paige felt that she was unable to hold back. She grazed Emily's lip with her tongue and entered her mouth. Their tongues searched slowly; achingly needy for the contact of the other's. They gently stroked every wall, every inch they could reach for. This kiss was not merely physical. It was a joining of two kindred souls. To find that in someone else, the assurance in that moment that there is no other place you belong in the world than right there, kissing the girl in front of you, transcends any physical meaning of the experience.

Paige's hand on Emily's neck now moved to Emily's hair as her fingers wrapped themselves in the soft flowing waves. Emily's hands made their way from Paige's hips to her lower back. Her fingers kneaded the muscles there and inched their way towards the top of Paige's firm ass.

If not for the need for oxygen, both girls would have gladly done this for hours. It was getting a little out of control, especially seeing as they were standing for the world to see on Emily's front porch but still…it took an incredible amount of willpower for the two of them to slow the kisses down and eventually separate.

One thing was certain. Tonight left both girls wanting more.

 **A/N: Whew. Nine chapters in Paige and Emily finally go on a date.**

 **Ok, y'all, I won't be able to update with a new chapter for a while as I'll be traveling the majority of July. That's why you won't be seeing updates; it's not that I've thrown in the towel. On the off chance that I get time to write I'll try to post a new chapter, but most likely you won't see anything new until close to August. Have a great July y'all and as always, thanks for the follows, favs and reviews! They keep me coming back.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Well hello there, y'all! Glad to be back after my month-long travel hiatus. Have to get the creativity flowin' again. Bear with me as I get my mojo back. :)**

 **Thank you for the warm & fuzzies last chapter. I've made y'all wait this long; not going to prolong it now. New chapter; here you go…**

 **Chapter 10**

Paige was right on schedule for her appointment with Dr. Sullivan. She found these sessions to be very helpful. If nothing else they forced her to talk about things that she may internalize otherwise.

Growing up she made friends in each city she lived in but couldn't say they were close friends. Paige never really allowed it to get to that point. As soon as the friendship grew she'd have to leave anyway. What's the use in making it that much harder? For that reason if she were asked to list her closest friends and confidants, she'd draw a blank…until maybe now. The girls she has met in Rosewood could easily become that for her. Regardless, Dr. Sullivan provides an outlet for her that she had never realized was lacking, and she needs that especially at present.

"How have things been going, Paige" Dr. Sullivan asked.

"I'm getting there," Paige said as she nodded her head thoughtfully. She isn't sure where "there" is but she believes she's headed in the right direction. "At least my outlook is better than it was a few weeks ago." That doesn't mean Paige is void of the same concerns and feelings she had before. They are still there but not as close to the forefront.

"I'm glad to hear that." Dr. Sullivan consulted some notes on her iPad. "Have you had any opportunities to spend time with Riley since we last met?"

"Some. We've gone for coffee and practiced field hockey a little more. Her cousin Spencer has been joining us too."

"Good," Dr. Sullivan said with a nod of approval. She already knew the answer, of course. Riley had told her during their session yesterday but still, she had to ask Paige. Each girls answer could have been interpreted entirely differently and therefore, she needed to hear both girls' specific answers and the emotions behind them.

"Riley is a really talented field hockey player. So is Spencer. I'm getting better just by playing with them."

"I'm glad you and Riley have found a commonality. Will you be trying out for field hockey when school starts?" That could be a very positive step in Dr. Sullivan's opinion. She wouldn't push Paige to do so but the team camaraderie could do both girls some good.

"That's my plan." Paige looked down to her lap.

She was apprehensive of something. Dr. Sullivan discovered this gesture as one of Paige's tells. "What is bothering you, Paige? Do you not want to play field hockey? You don't have to. You and Riley can do other things together than just field hockey."

"It's not that," Paige said with a shake of her head. "School starts in a week."

"Yes…" Dr. Sullivan trailed off waiting for Paige to pick back up.

"What will we do," Paige asked.

"What will who do," Dr. Sullivan asked needing clarification from Paige.

"Me and Riley."

"What are you unsure of regarding you and Riley?" Paige was making Dr. Sullivan work to fill in these blanks. Dr. Sullivan assumed there was probably a lot that Paige was unsure of. What she is referencing right now could be any number of things.

Paige raised her arms then let them flop back down to the couch at her sides. They landed with a soft thud on the plush leather. "Look, I'm used to the whole 'new kid on the block' thing. As much as my family has moved I could go through the new school routine with my eyes closed. That's not the problem."

"What _IS_ new to me is having a sister. Having a sister in a school where everyone already knows her. They also know that before summer break, she didn't have a sister. Not one that she knew about anyway."

As the new school year has approached this one thing has stuck in Paige's mind like a splinter just under the skins surface. She's left it there trying not to think about it. Her lack of attention to the prickly irritation has allowed it to grow until now it's to the point of a constant sting…a thought in the back of her mind that she can't shake.

"I see," Dr. Sullivan said as she removed her glasses and absent-mindedly tapped them in the palm of her left hand. To her surprise she really had not anticipated this from Paige. It hadn't occurred to her that this could be an issue.

"It's gonna be weird, right," Paige explained. "Do we tell people or not? And if we don't right away and people find out anyway…then what? We look like we're hiding it. Here I will be the new kid in school then couple that with Riley's surprise sister. I can only imagine," Paige finished with a roll of her eyes.

The scenes flashing through Paige's mind were not pleasant. Many of them involved hushed whispers between groups huddled together. Fingers pointed in her direction as a big neon sign flashed above her head with an arrow pointing down that read, "I'm the one!" Stares coming from every direction while she walked down the hall as people judged her and her _situation_. The virtual strangers who would ask her invasive, idiotic questions that she wouldn't know how to answer and wouldn't want to answer. Paige knew these daydreams were ludicrous. She hoped so anyway; the neon sign hovering above her head was for sure, at least.

"It's not weird; it's not fodder for gossip. It's your life and the reality of your circumstances." Dr. Sullivan sat down her iPad and wheeled her chair closer to Paige. "Finding out that you and Riley are sisters is only one part of this story Paige, one chapter," she said as she held up the pointer finger on her right hand. "As the pages turn you two are going to experience more and more scenarios. The beauty of it is that you and Riley will go through this together. Decide jointly what you choose to do and then be there for each other as you proceed."

Dr. Sullivan let that settle for a second before she continued. She kept eye contact with Paige as she made her next point, "I won't tell you what to do, Paige. This is yours and Riley's decision. But I do want you to consider this: would you rather it is you and Riley controlling the story or someone else?"

Paige shrugged her shoulders. Was this multiple choice? Because if so she chooses "none of the above."

"Talk to Riley. We'll discuss your decision next week." Dr. Sullivan made a note on her iPad to ensure she would remember to ask Paige during their next session.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Paige's appointment with Dr. Sullivan was three days ago, and she has yet to broach the school subject with Riley. Is the other girl not thinking the same things? Riley hasn't said one word to Paige about having any similar worries. How could she not be? Maybe it's different for Riley since Rosewood High won't be new turf for her. She doesn't have to introduce herself to anyone. Most kids in her grade probably already know Riley or at least know _of_ her. That's not the case for Paige.

And if she and Riley do decide to just put it out there, what do they say? How do you even talk about this to people without it sounding almost unbelievable? Because that's what this is. TV movies are made of topics like this, not real life. Yet here Paige is, smack in the middle of "real life" and this is indeed her reality…her and Riley's.

On Monday, when school starts, should Paige bounce up into the halls of Rosewood High like, _"Hey, I'm Paige McCullers; new to Rosewood. And P.S, Riley Hastings is my long-lost, previously unknown twin sister. So she's with the birth-mom, and I'm with my adopted parents. You know how that goes. What's up with you?"_

Will it be that simple? Will all of the other kids take it as fact and leave them be? Paige hasn't really gotten to know anyone else in Rosewood besides Emily, Riley, Spencer, Hanna and Aria. Would everyone else be as chill and understanding as this group? Somehow, Paige doubted that could be true. High school is the stomping ground for teenagers after all.

Paige thought about all of this as she and Emily sat on Emily's window seat in her bedroom. Paige's back was leaning against the wall. Her legs were outstretched in front of her. Emily lay in between them with her back against Paige's chest. Paige drew lazy circles on Emily's bicep with her fingertips as they enjoyed each other's company. It was Saturday, and they had plans to spend the afternoon and evening together.

Emily's eyes were getting droopy as she rested against Paige's warm body. The silence between them was comfortable. Neither girl felt the need to fill it with words. Their presence alone was enough. Emily could feel Paige's heartbeat thump-thumping on her back. The steady rhythm was soothing, just as the brush of Paige's fingertips on her arms was.

They've only been on one official date. Still, their connection is remarkably strong. Emily thought of this as she drew a smiley face around Paige's right kneecap. She smiled to herself as she did so.

Paige's voice in Emily's ear brought her attention back to the here and now. "I can't believe school starts on Monday."

Emily sighed, "I know. The summer went by so fast." Emily turned a little so she could see at least the side of Paige's face. "Are you excited?"

Paige scrunched her face up. "Excited might be too strong a word."

Emily squeezed Paige's leg in support. "It won't be that bad. You already know me and the group. Plus when you start field hockey you'll get to know even more girls from our class." _But hopefully not too well_ she thought to herself. They've not had any discussions as to what their status is.

Paige shrugged her shoulders. Emily's head bobbed on her chest as she did so. "It's not that. I'm used to the new school thing."

Emily turned fully now towards Paige. A look of concern crossed her features. "What is it then? Anything I can do?" Emily really would do just about anything for Paige if she could.

Paige began tracing more patterns along Emily's arm as she thought about how to talk to Emily about this. Usually Paige is a fairly confident person, or at least she is now. That used to not be the case even 2 to 3 years ago. She has the same insecurities as most teenagers do…but this was nothing like what most teenagers must face.

"I talked to Dr. Sullivan a couple days ago about some concerns I have with starting school." She waited a beat. "It's just; you and your friends have been so great. When Riley and I found out about being sisters, y'all didn't blink an eye. At least not outwardly." Paige laughed. "Hanna has asked some weird questions but she's done it with the best of intentions."

A frown now replaced the small smile Paige had while she was thinking about Hanna. "I don't know what the other kids at school will think though."

Emily was defiant when thinking about other students at Rosewood High and what they would think. It's none of their business and they can damn well keep their opinions to themselves. "Who cares what they think?" One of Emily's strongest character traits is loyalty. She will go through hell and back for someone she cares about. If someone were to even _think_ of harassing Paige Emily would shut it down without hesitation.

Paige shook her head. "Normally I wouldn't. But I guess this doesn't feel normal. I'm going to be the new girl in school with a jacked up family and a surprise sister. I'm not even sure Riley and I should say anything."

Emily sat up and took Paige's hand. "First off, this may be different and unexpected, but don't think of what's happening as abnormal. Every family goes through stuff from time to time. There are just varying degrees and causes."

Paige dipped her head. Emily caught her chin and tilted it back up for Paige to make eye contact with her. "Secondly, I learned a long time ago that it's never good nor is it healthy to hide who you are. You and Riley are sisters, you're twins. It's pretty cool, really. This is who you are, Paige." Emily wasn't trying to tell her what to do but it was clear that Paige wanted her advice. "What did Dr. Sullivan say?"

"She said I should talk to Riley. That she and I should decide together and then be there for each other." Paige picked at her fingernail then stopped abruptly when she thought of her mother constantly telling her not to. "She asked if I would rather be the one to control the story and tell it, or have it come out regardless and then watch everything unfold."

"And….?

"I mean, I guess I'd rather be the one to put it out there. Me and Riley, that is. I don't even know how to tell people or where to start. I don't need everyone knowing my whole life story."

Emily kissed Paige's check. She understood where Paige was coming from. "You and Riley will figure it out. Everything will be fine, Paige. And I'll be here for you for whatever you need."

Paige hugged Emily tightly to her as the girl settled back in between her legs. "Thanks, Emily. I really appreciate that."

Paige's outlook had already improved slightly just from talking everything through with Emily. Riley and she would come up with a plan and carry forward from there. The idea of she and her sister having each other's backs was comforting. A little sad too, maybe. They could have been there for each other the past 17 years.

"What did you mean when you said you'd learned that it wasn't good to hide who you are?" The way Emily had said it made Paige feel as though there was a memory in the past that was not altogether pleasant for Emily. Paige didn't want to pry but if whatever it was still bothered Emily, Paige wanted to be there for her. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want," Paige made sure to point out.

"It's ok, I don't mind," Emily said.

She looked outside to the tree lined street below her bedroom window. Rosewood is the ideal small town environment. The schools are good. Rosewood is relatively safe. The neighborhoods are picturesque. Life is quiet and quaint for the most part.

And that's just the problem for a young teen who is wrestling with their sexuality. At that time in her life Emily's world suddenly didn't feel so comfortable anymore. _"Could people tell when they looked at her?"_ The kids at school must have surely known that something was different about her.

The picturesque town transformed into a minefield. Emily tip-toed through her early teens always cognizant of never putting one foot out of place. One misstep, one word taken the wrong way, one stare at a girl for a millisecond too long and BOOM…her world explodes.

That's how Emily felt anyway. So she hid who she was. Emily denied herself the freedom to be authentic. She dated a few boys. _And had secret crushes on girls._ She kissed so-called "hot" boys. _And thought of how different a girls lips might feel…how much better could that be._ She listened while her parents, mostly her mother, talked about this "gay thing" and that "gay thing" from the news. _And she cringed at the venom and admonishment in her mother's tone._ Yet all the while Emily Fields didn't feel like Emily Fields. She felt like a paper cutout. All flat, non-dimensional and easily folded and creased into whatever was expected of her.

"I don't know what coming out was like for you, Paige, but for me it was not a good experience. I didn't come out of the closet; I fell out on my face."

Emily didn't like using phrases like "coming out" or being "in the closet." She didn't so much "come out of the closet." Emily came out of herself; out of the fake façade; out of hiding; out of the cuffs that bound her to a life that was not her own.

The girl that she projected was not truly who Emily Fields was. Looking back, Emily realized she was like one of those Russian Nesting Dolls; the wooden dolls that decrease in size and fit within each other. The first time she admitted, _really admitted_ , to herself that she does in fact feel an attraction to other girls, the façade opened and there was a new Emily…a more real Emily. With each new step she took towards authenticity, a better Emily…a more true to life Emily, was revealed. Now at the center, to the core of who she is, Emily is happy. Being gay certainly doesn't define her but it is undoubtedly a part of her being.

Paige listened intently while Emily spoke. Emily took a large breath and continued. "My parents found out when my mom was doing my laundry. I had tucked a note from a girl I liked into the back pocket of my jeans. Stupid me forgot to take it out."

"Your mom found it," Paige said then held her breath. It wasn't so much a question as it was a prediction of the outcome.

"Boy did she. The letter was innocent enough. A girl at school had wrote to me and told me she thought I was pretty. I was giddy with excitement when I got the letter. For the first time ever I'd allowed myself to entertain this as a possibility." Emily had let the past go but that didn't mean talking about this was easy.

Emily's muscles in her neck and shoulders tensed as she continued speaking. She looked to her bedroom door lost in the memory. "My mom came barging into my room with the letter. She asked, no demanded, to know what it was about. I was just so tired of hiding. I told her the girl liked me, and I liked her too. That was the first time I'd ever admitted to anyone that I am gay."

Paige blew out the breath she was inadvertently still holding. "How did your mom and dad take it?" Paige had a feeling it wasn't great.

Emily could kind of joke about it now. "Let's just say I thought my dad was going to be called to active duty for World War Three in his own living room." She chuckled. "It didn't go great."

"I'm sorry," Paige said wrapping her arms around Emily and holding tightly.

Emily rested her hands on Paige's strong forearms. The security of being wrapped in Paige's arms eased the tension that had found its way into her body. "It's ok. Things are better now. Kaci, the girl who wrote the letter, and I started dating right after that. She was my first girlfriend. It felt so wonderful to finally walk around holding my girlfriends hand. After that, the more people I told, the easier it became. I believe it will be the same for you and Riley once you begin telling everyone you're sisters."

"Thanks for telling me. I hope you're right."

Emily turned back around to face Paige. She looked into Paige's eyes as she cupped her cheek and encouraged the girl closer. "I am," she whispered softly yet resolutely.

She kissed Paige then, deeply and with intention. No more talking for a while. For now, everything that needed to be said could be done so with feather-light touches that makes your nerves hum to life, penetrating looks that reach your very soul and kisses that feel so right you wonder how you had gone a day in your life without them.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Paige was relieved that Riley had accepted her invitation to breakfast Sunday morning. She had called her sister the evening before on her way home from Emily's house.

The conversation with Emily helped to reaffirm what Dr. Sullivan had told her during their last session. She needed to talk through her concerns with Riley. Surely her sister will understand her anxiety about beginning the new school year and what that will mean for her…for them.

Paige was the first to arrive at the Apple Rose Grille and as such had already been seated while she waited for Riley to arrive. The jingle of the bell above the door signaled the entrance of a new patron. Paige looked up when she heard the noise and was met by a now familiar face.

Riley smiled as she saw Paige sitting at the two-person table. When Paige had called her the night before and asked to meet for breakfast Riley was eager to accept. It didn't even necessarily have anything to do with Paige being her sister. She simply enjoys her company.

Paige pushed back her chair and winced at the screeching sound it made as the chairs legs scraped against the floor. She stood to greet Riley as she approached. There was a brief awkward moment right after that when Paige did this weird stutter-step thing. She had thought to hug Riley when she was at the table then changed her mind a split second later.

Paige wasn't sure what to do; sometimes their interactions were still a little clumsy when it was just the two of them. In those moments when it was only Riley and Paige they were reminded in an obvious way what was happening in their lives. They weren't simply friends who were hanging out together; they were sisters, twins, who hadn't even known the other existed until recently. To say they are still adjusting would be an understatement.

"Hey," both girls said with a similar flourish of their right hands in a half wave.

"Thanks for coming," Paige said with a lopsided grin. She was nervous. She was actually _nervous_ about having this conversation. What if it didn't go well? What if Riley didn't understand? What if they got into an argument? _What. If?_ You know what they say; it's better to have a life full of "oh well's" than "what if's" so Paige shrugged off the insecurity as best she could.

Riley picked up her menu as she spoke to Paige. "Meet for breakfast at the Grille? No way am I gonna pass that up."

Paige was willing to postpone her intended conversation and ease into something lighter for now. She picked up her menu as well. "So what's good?" Paige has been to the Apple Rose Grille numerous times since moving to Rosewood but never for breakfast.

"Everything," Riley answered truthfully. "Seriously, I've never had anything bad here."

Not long after both girls were seated their waitress came by to take their orders. Both girls had decided on a fairly traditional meal: wheat toast, eggs, pancakes and bacon for Riley (extra crispy) and turkey sausage for Paige.

While they waited for their food the girls caught up on the comings and goings since they had last seen each other. Riley wanted to hear all about Paige's date with Emily. It was a nice flow of conversation and Paige was reminded again how easily she and Riley got along, at least when speaking of lighthearted topics. Perhaps their first test of sisterhood and the fragile bonds they've pieced together will be when Paige gets a little real with Riley about school.

The waitress brought breakfast over on a large serving platter that was balanced precariously in her left arm. Riley was amazed that the woman could carry all of that and not drop everything clattering to the floor. It looked so hard to do. She herself is a pro with a hockey stick and ball; she can run circles around most anyone and her aim is nearly flawless. But one thing she knows she'd never be able to be is a waitress. She lacks the patience and apparent balancing act to do so.

The server placed the last plate on the table and asked the girls if everything looked ok or if they needed anything else for the time being.

Riley looked around the table quickly then looked back up to the waitress. "Actually, could I have a small side dish of peanut butter, please?"

"Me too," Paige added. "If you have it?"

"Sure thing," the waitress said then walked back to the kitchen to retrieve the peanut butter.

Riley and Paige began sorting out their food while they waited for the waitress to return with the peanut butter. Paige sprinkled salt and pepper on her eggs. Riley nearly doused hers in ketchup. It looked absolutely revolting to Paige but to-each-their-own she supposed.

When the waitress returned with their side dishes of peanut butter each girl pulled their dish closer to them and ran their knife through the creamy spread. Riley assumed Paige wanted her peanut butter for the toast. Her reason for the request was quite different: the two pancakes sitting in front of her. Riley smeared peanut butter on the first pancake and looked up before dipping her knife back into the peanut butter.

Riley was caught off guard by what she saw. Paige was nearly copying her exact movements. Surprisingly, Paige had wanted the peanut butter for her pancakes as well. This is the first time Riley has ever seen anyone besides herself eating pancakes this way.

Paige had her pancakes sufficiently covered in maple syrup before she looked up and noticed Riley watching her. "What," she asked. She expected Riley to give her a hard time about the peanut butter. Most people think the combination is bizarre. She was ready to hear the same now.

"You do it too," Riley said, pointing at Paige's plate with the knife she still had in her hand.

"What?"

"The peanut butter…"

"Oh. I know. It's weird. I just like it," Paige said with a shrug of her shoulders. "Wait…too? Is that what you ordered your peanut butter for?"

"Yeah. It's the only way I eat pancakes. Has been since I was little."

"Huh, and here I thought I was unique," Paige said with a little laugh.

Riley started to spread the peanut butter on the remaining pancake sitting on her plate. "My mom said that my dad always ate his pancakes with peanut butter too. She never understood why in the world he ate them that way."

"I have a hard time picturing Mr. Hastings spreading peanut butter all over his pancakes. I pegged him as more of a bagel and coffee on the run kind of guy."

"He is," Riley said keeping her eyes focused on her plate. "I wasn't talking about him." When Paige didn't react she continued. "I mean my biological father… _OUR_ biological father." It wasn't until then that she finally looked up from her plate to make eye contact with Paige.

"Oh," Paige said instinctively. She didn't know what else to say. "Um, did you know him?"

Riley shook her head. "No, I've really only found out stuff about him recently. Dr. Sullivan has been encouraging me to try to talk to my mom. I've been asking her some questions."

Paige nodded her head. "I can understand you being curious."

"Aren't you," Riley asked. "Don't you want to know stuff?" This whole revelation has piqued her interest in learning more about her biological father.

"No?" Paige scrunched up her face in question. It truly was a question. She wasn't certain. "I'm not sure that I'm interested to learn more about him…or your mom to be honest. I don't know them. I have no connection to either of them, Riley. For right now I'm content to leave it at that."

"But what about me," Riley asked with a look that bordered on hurt and confusion.

"What about you," Paige asked.

"You just said you could basically care less about your birth parents because you don't know them and you have no connection to them." Riley swallowed hard and forced her next statement out. "Where does that leave me? You don't know me either. I'm the sister you never knew existed. Is that how you feel about me too?"

Paige's eyes widened in shock. Is that what Riley got from what Paige had said? If so, Paige needed to set the record straight immediately. "No, Riley. No. That is not at all how I feel about you."

"What's the difference? Do you feel some sort of obligation to me?" Riley was beginning to rethink her acceptance of Paige's offer for breakfast this morning. This is not at all how she thought it would go.

Paige sat her fork down and placed her hands palm down on the table. She had some back-pedaling to do. "It is just different. Our biological parents made the choices they did for whatever reasons. The thing is, those decisions impacted us in a way that was completely out of our control. You didn't choose to leave me, Riley. We were taken from each other. That is different. We could have spent the past 17 years together. Instead, we're what," Paige looked around the room and swept her arms wide, "sitting in a diner in Pennsylvania discovering totally random things like eating pancakes the same way."

Riley thought this over for a moment. She supposed Paige had a point. To a degree, hers and Paige's circumstances are very different. Sure, they both found out they have a twin, but for Paige it went much, much deeper than that. This was a significant revelation for Riley. Riley has at least spent her life with one of her biological parents so it makes sense that there is more of a connectedness to the bonds within that.

"She has been asking about you…my mom. She tries to casually bring you up into conversation hoping to talk to me about you. She's curious," Riley finally said.

Paige bit the inside of her cheek. Natalie Hastings is not someone that Paige cares to discuss right now. "Yeah, well…"

"I think she would like to see you, Paige."

Paige shook her head emphatically. "That's not gonna happen."

Riley understood or understood to the best of her abilities. As difficult as this situation was for her, she imagined for Paige it was on a whole different level. "Well, if you change your mind, I'll go with you if you ever want to meet up with her."

Paige nodded her head to acknowledge Riley's offer. "There is something I wanted to talk to you about this morning," she said looking directly at Riley.

"Okay… Sounds kind of serious."

"To me I guess it is. I've been thinking about it a lot."

Riley straightened in her seat preparing for whatever Paige wanted to talk to her about. She couldn't imagine what it would be. Shit's already gotten pretty heavy this morning and it's not even 9 o' clock.

"So you know how school starts tomorrow," Paige began. Riley nodded her head yes. "Well, speaking of the whole us being twins thing…what are we going to say? You know, at school?"

"What do you mean," Riley asked.

"I'm going to be the new kid. People will have questions." Paige held up her hand and ticked off example questions with her fingers. "Where did I come from? What am I in to? What's my story? They are going to want to know stuff about me; getting to know you type of stuff."

"And…" Riley drawled out.

"What do I tell them?"

"About…?"

Paige threw her hands up. "Jeez, Riley. About us. About being sisters. Are we going to tell people?"

"Oh. Well, yeah." Seemed like a no-brainer to Riley. "Wait, do you not want to?"

"I didn't say that," Paige pointed out. "I guess I just wonder how we'll discuss it."

Riley thought for a moment. She had not considered this. But she could see how Paige would as the new girl in town. "It's not like we have to make some sort of big announcement. I say we just tell people naturally. We don't have anything to hide. If we don't make it a big deal it won't be one."

Paige nodded her head. She could do that. Riley is making it sound pretty easy. "Ok, we're gonna tell people. And like, as it comes up in conversation. No biggie."

"Right," Riley said with a smile. "No biggie."

Paige hoped Riley was right.

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Paige had just been shown to her locker by some kid from the new student orientation committee. Whatever that is. She reached for her phone from her back pocket as she felt the vibration signaling an incoming text.

It was from Emily. **I'm with the girls in the courtyard by the Annex. Can you meet us? Follow the signs. You'll find it.**

Paige did not hesitate for one second. Even if it made her late to her first class she'd still go. There is absolutely no reason she would miss seeing Emily first thing in the morning.

Riley, Emily, Spencer, Aria and Hanna were seated at a table near the center of the courtyard when Paige walked up. Each of them held a paper cup of coffee in their hands. That is something Paige's school in Kentucky lacked. They didn't have coffee carts and a queue a mile long waiting for a morning caffeine fix.

The girls all scooched over a bit so that Paige could sit next to Emily. "Hey," Emily greeted with a quick squeeze to Paige's hand. Emily desperately wanted to lean over to kiss Paige, but she refrained until she could gauge where Paige was on the PDA scale in front of their classmates.

"Hey," Paige said back with a quick wink at Emily.

After consulting schedules the girls all took note of what classes they had together. Their schedules were fairly different for the most part. Aria had a lot of art electives. Spencer was in all AP classes. Hanna had already lost her schedule so she wasn't sure where she was supposed to be. Emily and Paige would have Chemistry and Sociology together. And all of the girls had the same lunch period.

Emily walked with Paige to her first class. She leaned against the wall beside the open door to Paige's Literature classroom. "I'll see you in Chemistry later?"

Paige smiled and smirked playfully at Emily. "We do have that."

Emily laughed. "What?"

"Chemistry," Paige said with a wink.

A huge smile lit up Emily's face. She swatted Paige on the arm with the spiral notebook she was carrying. "Goofball," she said as she walked away. Paige could hear Emily's bubbly giggle as she walked down the hall.

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Luckily, Mr. Kendall, the Chemistry teacher, lets his students pick their lab partners. Paige and Emily wasted no time in claiming a table together. Paige told Emily all about her morning so far. It had been pretty uneventful. She met a lot of new kids in her classes. When some of them asked nonchalantly if she has any brothers or sisters she told them about Riley. She didn't go into details but the other kids knew there had to be some sort of story there. At least they didn't pry though. Paige was relieved by that.

By lunchtime Paige was feeling pretty good about her first day at Rosewood High. In some of her classes she had met a few girls from the field hockey and swim teams. All of them were eager to learn about what Paige could contribute to their squads.

The girls were all seated at a table near where they started this morning eating lunch. A deep voice coming from directly over Paige's shoulder got her attention. "Welcome back to school, beautiful girls of Rosewood." Paige turned around to see a tall boy with dark hair and blue eyes looking down at their table. He had a grin that nearly split his face in two and was sickeningly fake.

"Noel," Spencer said in a monotone voice. It was clear that she wasn't thrilled to see him at their table.

The boy, Noel, ignored Spencer and looked straight to Paige. "I don't believe we've met," he said as he held out his hand to shake hers.

"You wouldn't have, would you? She's new," Spencer replied. She would hurry this conversation along if at all possible just to get Noel to leave their table. She could barely stand the youngest Kahn boy. She thought he was entirely too smug and had zero cause to be so.

"I'm Paige," Paige said as she reluctantly shook his hand.

"Noel Kahn," he said as he gently shook Paige's hand in return. He then looked from Paige to Riley. "The rumors are true then? Riley has a new sister. You don't look anything alike for being twins; though you are both hot."

"It's called fraternal, Noel. Look it up," Hanna said, pretty pleased with herself for using the twin knowledge and terminology she'd learned.

Emily reached up and pulled Paige's hand from where Noel still had it clutched within his grasp. "I think you've held my girlfriends hand for long enough. Why don't you let us get back to our conversation and see your way over to another table?"

"Oh, I see. Staking your claim early, Emily. Ok." He looked to Paige with another big grin. His smile was in no doubt a challenge to Emily and a notice of his interest in Paige. "Lovely to meet you, Paige." With that, he walked away as quickly as he had arrived.

"I'm sorry about him," Emily said as the bell rang signaling the end of their lunch period.

Riley chimed in, "Noel Kahn is an ass. Most people just tolerate him."

"It's fine," Paige said. "To go this long without someone making a comment was surprising."

The rest of the girls said their goodbyes and made their way to class. Emily hung back. "I'm sorry about throwing out the whole girlfriend thing," Emily said with a sheepish grin on her face.

"Are you," Paige asked.

"Am I sorry? Or do you mean am I your girlfriend?" Emily asked knowing that Paige's question could be taken either way.

"Both."

"Am I sorry for throwing that out there? Yes, I am. We haven't talked about what we are. And as for whether I'm your girlfriend or not…you tell me," Emily said tossing the ball back into Paige's court.

"I guess that depends. Do you want to be my girlfriend? I mean, we could go old school if you want. I can ask you on a note and pass it to you in Sociology class. You know…circle 'yes' or 'no' kind of thing."

"And if I were to circle 'yes'…"

Paige smiled wide and laced her fingers with Emily's. "Then I'd say I'm lucky to have you. Not everyone gets a hot girlfriend on the first day of school."

Emily squeezed Paige's hand. So that's that, she supposed. Paige is officially her girlfriend. "What do you have going on after school?"

"Today is field hockey try-outs. I'll be busy with that right after school."

"Oh, that's right. Spence said something about that the other day." Emily sighed. "So I guess if I want to see you after school my only option is to swing by the hockey pitch?"

"You don't have to do that, Em. It's hot out. I don't want to bother you."

Emily licked her lips and tugged the bottom of Paige's low cut v-neck t-shirt to pull her closer. "Hmmm, seeing my hot, sweat-slicked girlfriend running around with short, shorts on and a barely there tank top. Yeah, I don't mind getting hot and bothered by that." Emily leaned forwards and kissed Paige deeply before pulling back.

Paige cleared her throat. Emily Fields was too much for words sometimes. "Great."

Emily laughed lightly before giving Paige one more brief kiss. "Come on, McCullers, before we're late for class."

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Emily stood by the bleachers catching the last ten minutes of Paige's hockey try-outs. She was kidding when she mentioned getting hot and bothered by watching Paige play hockey. Little did she know it would turn into something based in fact.

Paige was remarkable. She ran down the pitch with a grace that made every movement appear to be easy, almost second nature. Still, there was such intensity in her actions. Anyone observing could tell that a competitive fire was lit from within the girl.

Honestly, Emily was pretty turned on. She wondered what it would be like to have that intensity focused on her. She _wants_ that intensity focused on her…at some point anyway. They weren't there yet. But when it got to that point, Emily imagined fireworks.

She was pulled out of her daydream by someone poking her shoulder accompanied by saying her name. Emily shook her head to chase the cobwebs away and focused her sights on the girl standing in front of her. It was Paige. "Oh, sorry. What's up?"

Paige pulled the bottom of her shirt up to wipe a few beads of sweat from her face. This nearly short-circuited Emily's brain yet again. Paige lowered her shirt back down and smiled at Emily. "I was just saying I was surprised to see you here. I didn't think you would actually come."

Emily was already at school anyway to speak with Coach Fulton. She didn't want to be a clingy girlfriend but she did want to see Paige. She reasoned that if she was already at school she might as well stop by the pitch. That was logical, right? She hadn't gone out of her way…she just popped over.

"Coach Fulton wanted to talk to me about starting a training program in a few weeks. She usually does this to help the girls who aren't in a fall sport condition. I'm team captain this year so I'll be helping with training. Since I was here anyway I figured I'd stop by." That sounded innocent enough to Emily.

"I'm glad you did," Paige said. She meant it. Seeing Emily was a nice surprise. "What are you going to do now?"

"Well, I've got this new girlfriend. I was hoping she might be able to join me for an impromptu dinner tonight."

"I think she would love that." Paige laughed. "My parents are at some kind of dinner tonight with a visiting officer from D.C. So I'm totally free tonight."

"My parents are there also," Emily explained. After a few minutes of discussion it was decided that Paige would go home to shower and change. Emily would pick her up there in an hour. Both girls were excited for their second date night and enjoying the evening together.

 **A/N: Getting Paige and Emily quality time next chapter. I realized it's been lacking the past two.**

 **thecatfromaliceinwonderland: Yes, thank you. I did have a marvelous time. :) Thank you, I'm pleased you like my storytelling. This plot is new territory for me so I am making a conscious effort to think about what this would be like for Paige and Riley. And Emily, I think, will always be a "stand by my woman" girl. :) Honestly, when I began this chapter I was going to tell Paige's coming out story. Then I decided to give the poor girl a break and wrote one for Emily instead. I may still write one for Paige, but it will be different than I first imagined. How could I not put them on Emily's window seat! It's sacred territory. :)**

 **subway20: Thank you! I did have a great time traveling. Oh, there was no way I would not come back to the story. I have a much easier time writing for Emily than I do Paige. It's not because I don't like her character, I obviously do. She is probably the one, in my opinion, who has changed the most from when we first met her on screen to now. I totally love her character (since season three), but at first I did not get Paige at all. (don't hate me people) So, I'm glad to have the opportunity to focus on her more this story. Yes, it's high time Emily swoop in for once, right? :) You know, I haven't decided how things are exactly going to play out for Paige and Riley, but I doubt I'll take things in too harsh of a direction. High school was a lot of fun so I'm looking forward to writing the groups experiences in this story.**

 **jhas: Pam didn't handle Emily's coming out the best on the show, and I decided to go with that in the story as well. It wasn't a great time for Emily but she's moved past it. They all have. Fortunately, she has a great group of friends that were there to support her and continue to do so. Emily is exceptionally loyal so I think that comes into play here. She will stick by Paige's side come hell or high water. Yes, there will always be an Emily Fields for Paige McCullers. :)**

 **Guest: Thanks! I'm glad to be back!**

 **siophiefandom: Emily's advice was pretty sound I think, and something that Paige needed to hear. And not from Dr. Sullivan, not from a friend, not from a parent but from Emily specifically. Thanks! You know this better than I do I would say, but when you write, thoughts and ideas flow from some kind of creative space. Sometimes it comes out as splinters and Russian Nesting Dolls. :)**


	12. Chapter 12

**As promised: Paily QT.**

 **Chapter 12**

Emily and Paige decided that pizza sounded good for dinner so they drove to a well-known hole-in-the-wall type of place near Hollis University. The restaurant, called By the Slice, was known for cold beer, awesome pizza and reasonable prices. Those factors and its close proximity to Hollis made it a popular spot.

Paige ordered one slice of veggie and one slice of pepperoni; a strange combination, she knew. Emily ordered two slices of spinach and sun-dried tomato. About the closest they were able to get in the drink department to beer was root beer. Now they stuck out in an obvious way as high schooler's. When you live a college town and you're at a college hang out, that distinction is _the worst_.

"So all-in-all how was your first day of school at Rosewood High," Emily asked before she took a bite of her pizza.

Paige held up a finger in the "just a second" signal as she finished chewing and swallowed. "It was good. I'm glad Riley and I talked yesterday. That made things a lot better."

Emily nodded her head. "I've known Riley for a long time. She's a good person, Paige. I think you'll come to find that it will be relatively easy to form a sisterly relationship with her."

"Things are going well so far." Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I guess we'll see."

Paige then realized they'd talked so much about her recently. With all the mama drama it seemed like Emily was solely focused on her and Paige had not reciprocated as much as she would have normally. "How was your first day back?"

"My day went well. No complaints."

"I've always kind of liked the excitement of going back to school," Paige said. "For the first week or so everyone is catching up with people they haven't seen all summer. And there isn't as much homework or tests."

"The first day of school has always been kind of a special day for my family," Emily said wistfully.

"How so," Paige asked.

Emily leaned into the table speaking more intimately to Paige. "I remember the first time we had to move when my dad was stationed at another base. I was really nervous about starting in a new school. When my mom and dad dropped me off I didn't want to get out of the car. My dad told me that after school we could all go for ice cream. But," she held up her hand at the protestation, "I had to actually go to school to get the reward."

Paige laughed. She could picture an adorable little Emily Fields sitting in the back of her parents' car refusing to get out and go to school. Emily continued, "I went to school and looked forward to ice cream with my parents all day long. Sure enough, they picked me up and on the way home we stopped for ice cream. We've done it every year since then."

Even now that time spent with her parents was precious to Emily. As an only child you are conditioned to appreciate the family you do have that much more. The Fields' are a very close family unit.

"Except for this year," Paige said. She felt bad that Emily was missing something she clearly enjoys doing with her mom and dad.

"Yeah," Emily said while absent mindedly picking at the pizza crust sitting on her plate.

As they walked out of the restaurant a little while later, Paige turned to Emily. "I have somewhere I'd like to take you but it's a surprise. Do you mind if I drive your car over there? I don't want to tell you where we're going."

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Emily looked over at Paige in confusion. They were headed in the opposite direction of either of their houses. Paige clearly was not taking them home yet. Emily looked out of the windshield then turned her head to the right to look out of the passenger window. Finally, after trying to deduce the destination on her own and failing, she decided to ask Paige. "Where are we going?"

Paige glanced in Emily's direction briefly. "Just sit tight. We're almost there. You'll like the surprise, I promise."

Emily trusted Paige, in all matters big or small. If surprising her meant something to Paige then Emily would sit back and enjoy the ride. Besides, it's not often that she is a passenger in her own vehicle. In fact, she can't remember any other circumstance in which this had happened before. It felt weird. Not being with Paige; being in her car, in this seat, and not driving. It was a whole new experience. The car seemed _different_ from this side.

She was thinking of this as she felt the tires rumble over a dissimilar terrain. They weren't on pavement anymore. They were on gravel. Emily looked around and smiled when she recognized where they were. Paige had just pulled into the gravel parking lot at Scoops.

Emily looked over to Paige and smiled wide. Paige grinned back and reached for Emily's hand. "I know it's probably not the same, coming with me for ice cream instead of your parents, but this seemed important to you. I don't want you to miss out on anything that you care about."

Emily was touched that Paige would do this for her. She felt so extremely fortunate that Paige would care this much about her feelings. Emily rubbed the pad of her thumb along the top of Paige's hand. "This is so sweet of you, Paige. Really. I can't believe you'd think to do this for me."

Paige gave Emily a brief wink and quickly squeezed her hand before pulling away. "Let's go enjoy some of this famous ice cream."

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The two girls chose a seat at a picnic table outside. That's where most people choose to sit when they come to Scoops. There is indoor seating but it is limited. Besides, ice cream is meant to be enjoyed outside in the summer.

The last time they were here they sat across from each other at a table. They were only friends then. Tonight they are seated next to each other on the bench seat. Emily turned her head from side to side a few times to survey the crowd. "Do you recognize someone," Paige eventually asked.

"No," Emily said. "Just looking around to see who all is here."

"Anyone in particular you're hoping to find?" Paige was a little put off by Emily's quest to find other people on their ice cream date.

"Not really. It's more so who I'm hoping NOT to see."

Paige leaned closer to Emily and whispered in a mock conspiratorial tone, "And who are we hoping NOT to see?"

"Six year olds," Emily stated matter of factly.

Paige straightened back up and made a face at Emily. "What do you have against six year olds?"

Emily looked back to Paige. "I don't have any problems with six year olds. I just don't care about watching my girlfriend race a little kid to finish their ice cream first."

The last time they had come here, when Emily introduced Paige to Scoops, Paige had silently engaged a nearby six year old in an ice cream eating contest. It had caused brain freeze for Paige and worse for the little boy.

Paige shrugged off the comment. "You have to admit, I beat him by at least half a cone." She smiled in triumph at the memory. "He didn't even finish his."

Emily shook her head. This girl is too much. And she adores everything about her. "Paige, he threw up. His mom had to carry him out of here. Thank God she didn't know he got sick because of you."

Paige held her hands up. "Don't blame that on me. He is the one who started it." She put her hands back down. "And anyway, it's not my fault he couldn't hold his ice cream."

Emily had no idea what to say to that so she let it go. They sat in silence for several minutes enjoying their ice cream while people watching.

Well, Emily was people watching. Paige was only watching one person. Emily. Emily decided to get her ice cream with a waffle cone rather than in a cup. Paige questioned the choice at the time telling Emily it would most likely melt and end up running down her hand.

Now though…now Paige was glad for Emily's choice. The ice cream was melting as Paige knew it would. But Emily refused to let it drip beyond the cone. Every so often Emily would run her tongue along the side of the cone to capture drips as they followed gravity downward.

Emily had no idea what she was doing to Paige. Her actions were innocent. But to Paige they were entrancing. Every time it happened Paige would watch as Emily's tongue swirled along the edge of the ice cream. Sometimes it would be the tip and other times Emily would flatten her whole tongue against the soft cream and smooth it over the entire surface. Paige's body nearly clenched the last time when Emily licked her lips afterwards.

Emily caught Paige staring at her eating her ice cream. She assumed Paige was lusting over her Rocky Road. "Do you want to try mine?"

Paige blushed. She hadn't meant to get caught. At least Emily only thought she coveted her ice cream. She supposed that was better at this stage than it being known she really just wanted Emily. All of her.

Paige cleared her throat. "Sure." Paige took a small bite of ice cream from Emily's cone. She nodded her head while saying, "That's good. I like it."

Emily tilted her head towards Paige's ice cream sitting in a cup on the table. It looked like Paige had barely touched it. "How's your mint chocolate chip?"

Paige looked down noticing she'd only had maybe one bite. "Good…it's good. Do you want to try mine as well?"

Emily turned her body towards the outside of the bench and swung her leg over the seat. She was now straddling the bench so she could better face Paige. "Sure, I'll try it."

Paige gave Emily her spoon with a fairly generous sized bite on it. After eating the offered ice cream Emily handed the spoon back to Paige. Paige looked at her as if to question whether Emily liked her ice cream.

Emily scooted a little closer to Paige. "It was good. But…," she looked around quickly. No one seemed to be paying them any attention. She leaned forward _thismuch_ more and kissed Paige. Paige's lips were cool to the touch. This sent a shiver down Emily's spine. Emily ran her tongue along the bottom of Paige's lip. The request was granted and Emily slid her tongue into Paige's mouth. She immediately tasted mint and chocolate. When their tongues met it was a totally different kiss than any other she had shared with Paige. The cold from the ice cream created an entirely unique sensation. It was heavenly. "…I like it this way even better," Emily finished with a smile after she had broken the kiss.

The kiss was short but it had been a scorcher. Paige was in a daze. An Emily Fields daze. "Yeah, yeah it is," was all she could mumble.

Emily swiftly got up to throw her and Paige's unfinished ice creams away. When she returned to the picnic table she leaned down to Paige's ear and whispered, "You want come over to my house for a while?"

Paige did not have to be asked twice. She was out of her seat on her way to the car before Emily knew what happened.

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Paige and Emily were lying on Emily's bed. They had set up Emily's laptop to pull up Netflix. Both girls were pretty keyed up once they got to Emily's house. It took them quite a while to get to the point of watching a show. Before that they could barely keep their hands off of each other. It was their most intense make out session yet. And they would have the marks to prove it tomorrow morning.

The room was dark save for a minimal amount of ambient light coming from a small lamp on Emily's bedside table. On the computer screen Paige could see from Emily's recently watched list that her girlfriend is a _Saved by the Bell_ fan. Another thing they have in common. "I love that show," Paige said while pointing to the _Saved by the Bell_ icon on the screen.

"Are you making fun of me, McCullers?"

"No! I honestly do like it," Paige said sincerely. "Can we watch where you left off last?"

"Sure, if you really want to." Emily was surprised. At first she was embarrassed that Paige had caught her closet obsession with _Saved by the Bell_. But if Paige really does like it then that's all the better.

The two girls laughed a lot as the episodes continued to play. They were sitting up, Emily with her back against the headboard and Paige with her back mostly against Emily. The laptop sat on top of a throw pillow in Emily's lap.

Occasionally they would pull their attention from the show to kiss. They remained fairly low-key though. Neither girl let things progress to the point they had been earlier. There was a reason they had stopped then; because they weren't ready. They were not yet to the point in the relationship where either girl felt prepared to physically go _there_.

Emily had her arm around Paige's shoulders. She ran the tips of her fingers along Paige's delts and triceps. Paige looked away from the computer up into Emily's eyes. "I just thought of something."

"What's that," Emily asked as she continued to lightly stroke Paige's arm.

"Your group of friends is a lot like this group," she said while pointing at the screen.

Emily laughed out loud. "Oh I can't wait to hear your explanation as to why that is."

"Ok, just think about it while I tell you. Each of you is basically one of these characters." When Emily didn't interject, Paige continued. "You are Kelly. I mean that's obvious. Hottest girl in school and the one everyone pines after."

"I don't-" Emily started to say before Paige stopped her.

"It's true," Paige said with a quick kiss. She continued, "Spencer is Jessie because well, you know. Hanna is Lisa…the fashionista with a quick wit and underlying intelligence."

Emily thought through everyone. "What about Aria?"

Ooops, Paige had forgotten about her. "Screech?"

Emily laughed out loud as she tilted her head back. "I'm telling Aria you said that!"

"What?! I don't mean it as a bad thing," Paige assured her. Besides, that made sense, right? Screech was quirky, his outfits never, ever matched and he kind of did his own thing. Equals Aria.

Paige explained her reasoning to Emily. After a second, Emily could actually see Paige's point. "Who are you then in this crazy cast of characters," Emily asked Paige.

"Well that's obvious, isn't it? I'm the female version of Zach."

Emily rolled her eyes. "Oh, because you get all of the girls?"

"No. Because I only have eyes for _one_ girl. Kelly...you."

Emily blushed though with the low lights in the room Paige probably couldn't see that. What she said was actually really sweet. "Smooth, Paige. Maybe you are the female version of Zach," she teased.

They spent the rest of the evening cuddled up together watching old episodes of _Saved by the Bell_ and getting closer and more in _like_ with each passing minute.

 **A/N: Y'all, to be honest I don't even know if** _ **Saved by the Bell**_ **is on Netflix. I suppose I could have looked… Alright, so if you know the SBTB characters I'm talking about; are my comparisons accurate?**


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Paige sat on the floor near the foot of the couch with a blanket wrapped around her. She had her knees pulled up to her chest with her arms enfolded around them. The blanket covered nearly her entire body, save for her head. And it wasn't because she was cold.

Paige's heart was beating rapidly. Her palms were clammy. If she were to hold her hands up in front of her face she knew she would see them tremor uncontrollably. Her eyes darted back and forth between the dark corners of the room. There were shadows dancing on the walls but she couldn't place their origin. She shifted in her seat for what had to be the tenth time in the past three minutes. In short, she was freaking the fuck out.

All of the girls i.e., Hanna, Emily, Spencer, Riley and Aria, invited Paige to their annual sleepover to cap-off their first week of high school as seniors.

" _It will be fun!"_ they said. _"Great!"_ Paige thought.

" _It's a back to school tradition!"_ they said. _"So glad to be invited!"_ Paige thought.

" _We eat pizza and use our fakes to buy beer!"_ they said. _"Partyyyy!"_ Paige thought.

" _And have movie marathons!"_ they said. _"I'm down with that!"_ Paige thought.

" _Yeah! Horror flicks with the lights off!"_ they said. _"Ohhhhh FUCK!"_ Paige thought.

And that is why Paige is sitting in the middle of Spencer's living room feeling like she might throw up or pass out. Or perhaps both. For someone who gives an "I got this shit" confident outward impression, when it comes to scary movies it's more of an "I'm scared shitless" reality.

Paige threw the blanket off and stood quickly. "I'm going to go use the restroom," she mumbled as she rushed from the room. Once she was out of eyesight Paige ran down the hallway, flipped the bathroom light on and shut the door as fast as she could.

Paige leaned against the vanity as she looked at herself in the mirror. Her face was more pale than usual. Why she went along with the horror movie marathon was beyond her. From an early age Paige has been scared of horror movies. Either you loveum' or you hateum'. Paige stood firmly in the latter category.

Paige straightened back up to her full height. She steeled herself for this pep talk she was about to give. "You are seventeen fucking years old. Snap out of it you lame ass," she said while pointing to her reflection in the mirror. "You woman up and get back out there," she gestured behind her towards the restroom door, "and sit next to your smokin' hot girlfriend damnit!"

Paige took a few deep calming breathes. She walked over to the door and opened it timidly. With caution, Paige poked her head out into the dark hallway then looked around to see if the coast was clear.

"What are we looking for," Paige heard someone say from the dark shadows in the hallway. Honestly, Paige nearly jumped back into the restroom and locked the door.

Paige could barely make out the figure as it stepped into an illuminated spot in the hallway from the moon filtering in through the window. It was Hanna. "N-nothing," Paige said.

"Why so double-oh-seven, Paige?"

"Double-oh-what," Paige asked to stall the question.

"Were you talking to someone on the phone in there," Hanna asked as she nodded her head in the direction of the restroom. "Maybe an ex- or not so ex-girlfriend in Kentucky?"

"Don't be ridiculous, Hanna," Paige said with a roll of her eyes. "That's not who I was talking to. And besides, my phone is in the living room."

"But you were talking to _someone._ "

"No, no I wasn't," Paige said while shaking her head emphatically.

Hanna wasn't having any of that. This was getting fun. She knew she heard Paige talking in the restroom when she walked up to the door a few minutes ago.

Hanna leaned against the wall and crossed her arms over her mid-section. Paige was not passing this spot until she spilled it.

"Fine," Paige said in surrender. Her shoulders slumped in a combination of embarrassment and defeat. "I was talking to myself."

"Are you drunk?" Hanna hadn't noticed how much Paige had to drink so far. She didn't think her friend had consumed that much alcohol already.

"No, Hanna. I'm freaked out, OK?"

Hanna smirked. "By what?"

Paige pointed towards the direction of the Hastings' living room. "By the bat-shit crazy all night horror movie marathon!"

Hanna laughed out loud "Say that three times fast!"

"I hate you," Paige said, not really meaning it.

Paige detected a faint gleam in Hanna's eyes just as Hanna started to slink down the hallway. She was behaving like a jungle cat stalking their prey. She bent her arms in front of her towards Paige and waggled her fingers in the _I'm gonna getcha'_ way you might tease kids you babysit. Hanna said "ooooo" in a spooky voice as she approached Paige.

Paige started backing down the hallway. "Hanna, don't come any closer. I mean it!"

Hanna doubled-over laughing as she halted her movements towards Paige. "I must say, this is an interesting development in the getting to know Paige McCullers journey."

"Yeah, well, let's just keep this between you and me. In other words, don't tell Spencer."

Paige and Spencer have this unique thing between them. It's not a competition per se. This is more a high regard and mutual respect; that in addition to above normal expectations. If Spencer were to find out that Paige is scared of horror movies Paige would be mortified.

Luckily, when Paige and Hanna joined the others back in the living room Hanna kept her mouth shut. She didn't tell anyone else about Paige's horror movie phobia. But in true playful Hanna-ness, she couldn't _quite_ let it go.

Hanna returned to her seat on the couch which was directly behind/above where Paige and Emily were sitting on the floor. Paige had her hair in a ponytail that evening since they were bumming around the house. Every once in a while Hanna would blow on Paige's neck. This would cause the girl to flinch and roll her shoulders up to her neck. Then she would turn around and glare at Hanna. Or, Hanna would dance her fingers along one of Paige's shoulders or poke her in the side during a particularly scary scene.

Needless to say, Paige was ready to throttle her friend into the next town by the time the movie was over.

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Eventually Hanna decided to put Paige out of her misery. She grabbed the remote, pushed paused and whined about how boring the movies were getting. Instead, she suggested a good ol' drinking game. She did this so that Paige wouldn't have to suffer through anymore horror movies. That and it would be fun regardless.

So it was that all six girls sat in a circle in the middle of the Hastings' living room with their glasses filled to the brim with their liquor of choice. They pushed the furniture to the side to allow for more room. Spencer made sure, made each girl _promise_ , they would place the furniture _exactly_ where it had been previously, lest her parents ask why the couch and such were out of place.

Hanna's suggested drinking game: Never Have I Ever. No matter how well she knew her friends something juicy always came out of this game. And as the game progressed the questions would get more and more interesting. The premise behind the game is simple, one person says "never have I ever…blank". If you've done what that person hasn't then you must drink from your glass. If no one has done the "deed" then the person whose turn it was must drink. Then you continue around the circle. This game was usual cause for mild teasing and a lot of laughing.

Since this was Hanna's idea, she was chosen to go first. Hanna decided to start off mild. "Never have I ever…legit pretended to speak a foreign language I don't know." Hanna grabbed her glass assuming that no one from the group would take a drink.

When Aria took a swig from her glass everyone turned to look at her. "What," she said with a shrug.

"Rule enforcement," Hanna piped up. "When you take a drink you have to share the story."

"Fine," Aria said as she sat down her glass. "I was at Hollis visiting my dad when I ran into this really hot guy. He was wearing a Hollis hoodie so I could only assume that he was a student and much older than me."

Aria, referencing her petite frame then said, "I mean I look like a middle school kid, so I decided to speak in another language thinking that might make me appear more sophisticated and older."

Spencer deadpanned, "This is so great…" as she absentmindedly took a drink from her glass.

"It really wasn't," Aria admitted. "We had just gotten back from my dad's sabbatical in Iceland so I put some of my _very_ limited understanding of the language to use." She then rolled her eyes. "Little did I know that he not only understood me, but he had just returned from Reykjavik and proceeded to speak back."

At this point Hanna was rolling on the floor in laughter. Aria shot her a glare as she continued with her story. "I said a few things back not entirely knowing what I had just said. He looked at me with the strangest expression then just walked away."

"What did you say," Paige shouted in excitement.

Aria slumped her shoulders. "When I got to my dad's office I looked up what I said to the guy right before turned to walk away." She sighed, "I said 'I am here to dance like a monkey' and then apparently I asked him 'Do you want to join me?'"

Everyone around the circle was crying in laughter. Of course Aria would do this for a guy.

Emily could barely speak but she had to know just one thing. Between her giggles she asked, "What did you _think_ you said?"

By this point Aria was laughing along with everyone. She was beyond mortified at the time but now she saw the humor in the situation. "I _meant_ to say 'I am here to study abroad' and 'Did you as well?' referencing his trip to Reykjavik."

"Epic fail!" Riley shouted.

Paige had been brainstorming what she would ask by the time the cycle made its way to her. When it was her turn she said, "Never have I ever…stolen anything…like more than candy or something stupid like that."

Every head except Paige's turned towards Hanna immediately. She dutifully took a drink. "You thief!" Paige teased.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "It was just a pair of Chanel sunglasses. Not state secrets. And besides, I don't do that anymore."

By this point, Emily was getting a bit of a buzz. They were all drinking in between questions so more alcohol was being consumed outside of the game. "Yeah, cause' you got arrested by the 5-O!"

"And," Riley leaned into the circle, "that's the only time you got _caught!_ Your wardrobe junior year was all stuff you lifted."

Paige, who was sitting near Hanna leaned across Aria and swatted Hanna's shoulder. "You bad girl!"

"Moving on…" Hanna prodded as she straightened back up.

After Aria went it was now Hanna's turn again. Enough of the tame bullshit; she was ready to turn it up a notch. Sifting quickly through her memory, she tried to remember if this particular question had ever been asked. Deciding it had not, she proceeded. "Never have I ever…had sex in the shower."

Hanna drank, Spencer drank and then Paige drank. Paige looked over to see if Emily had. She had not. So, Emily had never had sex in the shower. Would she think differently of Paige because she had?

Hanna and Spencer's explanations were pretty much as expected. Caleb had lived with Hanna for a short time and well…accidently walk in on your boyfriend in the shower and shit happens. With Spencer and Toby, things had gotten pretty heated one day when Toby was doing work at her parents' house. When she suggested he take a shower she had no idea what else would come of that.

The story the girls were most interested to hear about was Paige's. All of her stories and experiences were totally new territory for the girls.

Spencer looked over to Emily. She could tell her friend was a little uncomfortable. Who wouldn't be hearing about their new girlfriends hot and heavy sexcapades? "Paige, you don't have to tell us," she offered.

"The hell she doesn't," Hanna shouted. "Spill, McCullers."

Paige looked to Emily. Her girlfriend made quick eye contact then looked away. "It was in the locker room after swim practice," Paige rushed out. All of the words were fused together as the speed at which Paige spoke propelled them forward.

"Lame," Hanna said dripping with sarcasm. "You gotta give us more than that."

Paige sobered pretty quickly and looked back and forth between Hanna and Emily. "No, I don't," she said with authority.

Hanna caught on. She hadn't even thought about Emily. Paige had become so much a part of their group, so much of a friend to her, that she considered Paige one of their own. She wasn't just Emily's girlfriend. She was a part of all of them. She smiled at Paige to show her regret in pushing the subject. For now Hanna could only hope Paige knew that.

As the questions progressed each girl was fairly intoxicated. It was pretty obvious the evening was winding down. By now all of the girls were laying on the floor, their drinks nearly forgotten, while they quietly, almost on autopilot said their "Never Have I Ever's."

The last one Paige remembered was when Spencer said, "Never have I ever…made a booty call." Every single girl drank from their glass. They laughed, Hanna held her glass up and said, "Cheers to booty calls!," they all took another drink and then her memory was blank.

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Emily woke to bright sunlight streaming in through the French doors in the Hastings' living room. Everyone else was still asleep. A heaviness settled on top of her. It's no wonder, she drank so much she shouldn't be surprised to feel an elephant sitting on her chest.

But there wasn't. She quirked one eye open and saw brown hair splayed across her chest. It was then that she realized Paige was draped across her. Emily slowly moved her arms to encircle Paige in a soft embrace. It felt wonderful snuggling in with Paige like this.

Paige must have felt the movement. She groaned and sat up a little. "I feel like I got hit by a train last night," she groaned.

Emily smiled sympathetically. Hanna's "Never Have I Ever" suggestions ultimately always turned out like this for a least one or two people. "Ah, the curse of 'Never Have I Ever' strikes again," Emily consoled.

What Emily had just said sparked Paige's memory. The shower thing quickly made its way to the forefront of Paige's mind. She blinked twice then swallowed. "Emily, I'm really sorry about that whole shower thing."

Emily shook her head. Was it awkward? Hell yes. Was she upset with Paige? No. "Paige, it's ok. Everyone has a past and past relationships."

"Yeah, but for you to have to find out…"

Emily reached up and pulled Paige back down. Paige settled her head back onto Emily's chest.

Emily kissed the top of Paige's head before she spoke. "It's ok. At least I didn't have to hear the details. Besides, I'm less concerned about your past than I am your present. It's me and you now, Paige. And I hope we also have a future."

Paige liked the sound of that. She let the sound of Emily's steady breathing and the gentle caress across her back lull her back to slumber.


	14. Chapter 14

**Hey, y'all. I know this update took me a while to get to. But here we go with chapter 14!**

 **Chapter 14**

Several weeks had passed since the first week of school slumber party at Spencer's house. Time was already flying by. Much of the shine of Paige being the new girl had worn off and with it went the murmurings of her relation to Riley. Now people accepted it as fact and let them be. And truth be told, it had not gotten bad at all. Paige was treated as somewhat of a novelty rather than the school pariah she feared she would be. Novelty, she could accept. After all, it is human nature to be curious.

In this time Paige has also grown closer to her new group of friends. She is really starting to feel a part of them. It wasn't that they were the first group of people she met in Rosewood. That wouldn't compel her to stick around in their company. It was that she likes them all genuinely.

She doesn't have much in common with Aria, but that doesn't negate the fact that Aria is a good friend. She's a little quirky and their interests are miles apart, but in Aria, Paige detects an old soul. Paige has learned some really interesting things from Aria about art, photography, and writing that she'd not have known without her influence.

And Hanna…Hanna keeps Paige on her toes. To know Hanna is to expect the unexpected. Just when you think the girl will zig, she changes course then zags. She can be surprisingly insightful and strikingly intelligent. For the most part, she knows when she can use sarcasm and when to dial it back. The girl has a great sense of humor but she's not funny per se; she's witty and usually two steps ahead of where you are. Paige had the feeling that Hanna could be a straight A student if she ever decided to apply herself in class. The girl is a coaster…no, not the kind you sit a drink on. She does what needs to do in school to _get by_. She "coasts" along. For her this is social time, not learning time. For all she is an outgoing person.

Then you have Spencer Hastings. In another life they could have been archenemies or on the flip-side, a dynamic duo…like Batman and Robin. Paige would be Batman, of course. Spencer would probably disagree. A Hastings would never consent to be anyone's sidekick. What these two girls most have in common is their motivation and competiveness. Hell, they'd probably have a competition to see who is the _more_ competitive of the two!

Riley Hastings has been a tough one for Paige to figure out. And it shouldn't be that way. Not even a little bit. They are twins for goodness sakes. Isn't there some sort of innate connectedness in that? Well, that is true. They do seem to naturally click. But whereas Paige recognizes the similarities and positive traits in her other friends, she sees the opposite in Riley. It's not that she doesn't like her sister. She does, quite a lot. The thing is; Paige finds herself noticing the differences in the two of them rather than the likenesses. Maybe it's because that's what she's looking for. Some sort of way to discern who they are independently rather than what they could be together. Riley, it seems, does the exact opposite. She notices, points out even, things that they have in common like peanut butter on their pancakes and chewing their fingernails. Paige is oblivious to those things. To her they are a trivial…tons of people do that. Is it really _that_ big of a deal? For Riley it means more, it's a thread that ties them to each other; a common strand in their genetic make-up. Paige hasn't figured that out yet. While Riley is living in the reality of _them_ being twins and finding out _they_ are sisters, Paige is still on the outside. She's looking inside a glass house. Paige can see what is in the interior, she knows what is there, but she doesn't care to step inside to explore further. She is satisfied to look on from the exterior so as not to commit to walking through the door and becoming a part of the whole. And she's doing it unintentionally.

The person Paige has spent by far the most time with is Emily. That's to be expected, right? Not only is Emily her best friend, she is also her girlfriend. It has gotten to the point that they now spend as much of their free time together as possible. Starting out as friends was great. Progressing to girlfriends is even better. It's like this: say you're a swimmer. A good swimmer; considered one of the best on your team. A new trainer then comes along and points out that your technique is slightly flawed. You make an improvement and the next thing you know you've shaved another three seconds off of your time. You are perfection! Whereas before you were good, now you're amazing…a prodigy…the BEST. Paige and Emily were content before but now they are euphoric.

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Riley and Paige met up in the hall outside of their respective fourth period classrooms. This had become somewhat of a routine. They took these few moments to catch up daily.

"What are you doing tonight after field hockey practice," Riley asked Paige.

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I think Emily and I might get together for a while after she writes a paper for her History class."

Riley looked down to the ground. She expected this response from Paige. Nevertheless, she is disappointed by it. "Oh."

"Why do you ask?"

Riley played with the corner of the notebook she cradled in her arms. Lately she has felt increasingly timid around Paige which is uncharacteristic for her. Or maybe she felt more so apprehensive. Rejection from her sister has become fairly predictable. "I was hoping you and I could do something."

"Sorry."

Riley scoffed. "I doubt that." The sadness was turning to frustration rather quickly. Maybe that's what happens when you keep your feelings bottled-up.

Paige furrowed her brows in defense. "What does that mean?"

Riley tugged on the bend in Paige's elbow to stop her from continuing down the hallway. She turned to face her sister directly. It is time to put this out there. "It _means_ if you were _actually_ sorry you might consider making a little time for _me._ "

Paige dismissed Riley's statement with a wave of her hand in the air. "We hung out two days ago."

Riley shook her head. "No, our group hung out two days ago. When was the last time just you and I hung out, Paige?"

Paige lifted her head to the ceiling in thought.

"Yeah, it's been at least three weeks," Riley answered for her. Paige couldn't even remember; it has been that long. "The last time we hung out was when you asked me to meet you at the Grille for breakfast."

Paige remembered and she knew it had been that long. For some reason she couldn't admit that to Riley. That was also when Riley mentioned that her birth mom has been asking about her. "I've been really busy lately, Riley. It's not you."

Riley turned on her heel heading in the opposite direction of Paige. She didn't care that it was also in the opposite direction of her next class. As she walked away, Riley looked back to say, "Tell Emily 'hi' for me. Maybe sometime soon you'll spare a little time for your sister."

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Paige was fairly sullen as she sat on the plush leather couch in Dr. Sullivan's office. The good doctor picked up on Paige's foul mood right away.

"What's the matter, Paige?" She wasted no time in getting down to it.

"Nothing."

Dr. Sullivan cocked her head to the side. Clearly _something_ is bothering her client.

Paige knew that look. Dr. Sullivan would not let this drop. Paige sighed. "Riley and I got into a fight. Well, maybe not a fight. We had words."

"About what?"

Paige got the look on her face of a petulant child. "She seems to think we aren't spending time together."

"Are you?"

"Yes! Just the other day we all hung out at the Brew. And she's my practice partner at field hockey trials with the team. And we all eat lunch together."

"But Paige," Dr. Sullivan paused for emphasis. "Are you spending time with _Riley_?" She dramatically annunciated Riley's name to show that she meant her and only her.

Paige broke her eye contact with Dr. Sullivan. "Sort of…"

"Paige."

"Maybe…" Dr. Sullivan stared at her. "…Not." Paige was ashamed to admit it.

"Why not?"

"School is keeping me busy. And there's field hockey. Emily. I'm spending a lot of time with her, too." Paige let the excuses fly.

"Emily?" Dr. Sullivan knew the name. "The friend you swim with?"

"Yes," Paige said nodding her head in confirmation. "She's more than that now," she added. "Emily is my girlfriend." When Paige said that she smiled for the first time during the entirety of the session.

Dr. Sullivan considered this for a moment. "Would you say that most if not all of your free time is spent with Emily?"

Paige did not like the direction she felt this conversation was moving towards. "Yes…" she drawled out.

"And is it true then," Dr. Sullivan pointed out, "that you in fact are _not_ making time for Riley?"

Paige didn't have to answer that question, which is good because she wasn't going to. Dr. Sullivan knew what Paige would say if she were to be honest.

"Paige, you are ignoring Riley. What is worse is that you are making an _effort_ to do so." Paige opened her mouth to protest then shut it as Dr. Sullivan held her hand up to signal that her point had not been made yet. "I don't believe you are doing it intentionally."

"Your relationship with Emily is new, I get that. But so too is the relationship with Riley. She is your sister, Paige. _Your sis-ter._ It's time to put this into focus. You need to take a step back from Emily to allow yourself to take a step towards Riley."

"Wh-what are you saying?"

Dr. Sullivan knew that this would be hard for Paige to hear. She learned long ago that sometimes truth talk is best served to-the-point. "I think it's best, for right now anyway, that you and Emily go back to being friends."

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That weekend the group of girls spent Saturday afternoon shopping for the latest fall trends. This was of course Hanna's suggestion.

Aria noticed Paige paying particular interest to a jean jacket with a grey hood and grey sleeves. Paige walked back to it several times but left the store without purchasing it. Aria filed this away for when Paige and Riley's birthday roles around in November.

Thinking about that, Aria became curious of something. She looked back and forth between Paige and Riley as they all sat down for lunch at the Grille. "Who is older between you two?"

They both answered simultaneously. "I don't know," Paige said just as Riley said, "Paige."

Paige whipped her head so quickly in Riley's direction that she thought she heard her neck crackle.

Riley looked over to Paige as their eyes met. She was still hurt by Paige's recent actions, but she wouldn't withhold this information. "You are five minutes older than me."

"How do you know that," Spencer asked. Paige wondered as well. This knowledge had rendered her speechless so she was glad Spencer had asked.

"I asked my mom to show me our birth certificates. She still has Paige's. I was born at 3:26am on November 2nd. Paige was born at 3:21am."

Paige suddenly felt as though she had been punched in the gut. Riley saw her birth certificate? She _asked_ to see it? She _needed_ to see it? She _wanted_ to know? Riley is making an effort? _She cares you idiot!_ And Natalie kept Paige's birth certificate? Why, when it was she who tossed Paige away to begin with?

Here Riley knew something about Paige…about them…that Paige didn't know or maybe had not cared to know. But the thing is; she's glad she knows. This is a detail of _her life_ that had been hidden away. In this news comes a new perspective. The girl sitting across from her was born five minutes after her, by the same mother. Suddenly this became something tangible to her and all because Aria asked which of them is older. Strands started to link them together in Paige's mind.

Riley is right to be upset. Paige recognized now that she's kept Riley at an arm's length. For the most part, she has treated Riley as nothing more than a new friend. And Dr. Sullivan was right; she's made an unintentional effort to do so. To be brutally honest, she hasn't once thought about how Riley is doing in all of this. Hell, even when she thought they should talk about how they would discuss their relationship when school started it wasn't because Paige worried for _them._ She worried for herself. Paige has not once given them a _real_ chance as sisters because to do so, she'd have to face some harsh realities and get with the program. She wanted to hide under the table. Paige finally saw the pain and rejection in Riley's eyes and it shook her to the core.

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Emily walked Paige to her door after dinner Saturday evening. The other girls went to see a movie that night. Emily asked Paige instead if she wanted to go to dinner with her.

She noticed at lunch how quiet Paige had become. Something was bothering her. Something substantial. Paige was trying to hide it but Emily knew better.

Emily had hoped that Paige's mood would improve as the evening wore on. Maybe some alone time together would help. It didn't. In fact, Paige withdrew further into herself. Dinner was quiet and awkward. Emily started to become concerned that she was the cause.

When they reached the McCullers' front door Emily said gently, "Paige is something bothering you?"

Paige couldn't say it out loud. Instead, she nodded her head "yes."

Emily motioned to the porch swing to their left. Paige followed her to sit down. "Can you talk to me about it?"

Paige took a deep breath. "Dr. Sullivan thinks I'm spending too much time with you and not enough time with Riley."

Well that was rather direct. Emily didn't know what she expected Paige to say but that was nowhere close. She swallowed the lump lodged in her throat.

Paige continued, "She said my priority right now should be Riley."

"So I'm in the way?"

"Yes." Paige's eyes widened when Emily's bottom lip started to quiver. "I mean no! I mean…"

"Which one is it, Paige," Emily asked. Her voice cracked as she said her girlfriend's name. She had a bad feeling that Paige wouldn't be holding that significance much longer.

"I owe Riley and myself an earnest effort, Emily. And I haven't been doing that. I recognize that now. I can't be everything for everybody. Right now, I need to be a sister." It pained Paige to say this. It physically hurt. It took everything she had to not break down in tears.

Emily nodded her head in resignation. What could she do? She wouldn't come between sisters. She couldn't speak; she couldn't plea for reason. To do so would have caused words to come out of her mouth that she couldn't take back. Without another word Emily leaned over, kissed Paige's cheek and stood to leave. Tears streamed down her face as she walked away from Paige towards her car.

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Paige stood on the doorstep poised to ring the bell. She prayed that Natalie Hastings wouldn't be the one to attend to the door.

When it was Riley who appeared, Paige nearly broke down. For the first time since the revelation months ago in her living room on " _that night,_ " it was not Riley Hastings standing before her. It was her twin sister. Paige finally knew and acknowledged the difference.

Her eyes started to immediately water. "Riley, I'm sorry. I am _really, really_ sorry," she choked out.

Riley launched herself from the doorway. She wrapped her arms around Paige's neck and hugged her tightly.

Paige mumbled between her sobs, "I want to be your sister. I do. I promise I'll be better."

Riley nodded her head. She closed her eyes as she took in this moment while tears dripped from her chin onto Paige's shoulder.

 **A/N: Ok...now I know y'all might have some issues with this new Paige/Emily development. Please keep in mind: this is as much a Riley/Paige story as it is a Paily story. And let me reiterate: this** _ **IS**_ **a Paily story. *that's a hint to hang in there for just a bit folks***

 **So, not only did I take a few weeks between chapters, but (for now) Emily and Paige are takin' a liiiiiiitle break. I promise I won't steer you wrong in the coming chapters. I guess we can call this a little shake-up.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I hope to post this chapter and the next in a relatively short amount of time to get some story advancement going.**

 **Thanks for your thoughts on the last chapter. I enjoy every little bit of it. I'll share a little author POV for y'all…I don't agree with Dr. Sullivan. I think she gave pretty bad advice.**

 **There is one Guest I need to call out. People like you are why I love getting these reviews. You'll know who are if you're seeing this. You will not see your reviews posted because I got the feeling they were meant particularly for me and not the general audience. And since you messaged me as a guest I cannot respond to you directly. I appreciate what you sent, and yes, it made perfect sense to me. I found it absolutely fascinating and now want to know so much more. (and as you know, clearly I'm not a psychiatrist or psychologist) By the way, your English is great. And to answer your question: I used to know Spanish. I have a limited understanding of it now. I suppose I have become lax as a product of my job. (That is not good) Having hired translators who work for me has both pros and cons. I simply say what they tell me to. (I JUST realized how much that sucks…for lack of a better word.) That said, I'm personally up for the challenge if you want to write to me in Spanish.**

 **Chapter 15**

It had been a rough two weeks since Paige told Emily they could only be friends for the time being. Paige's hopes were high that they could easily slip back into their natural friendship. She was wrong. It was not simple. As it turns out, friendship, especially when you want so much more, is not uncomplicated. Usually a break up means that one or both parties do not want to be in the relationship. In their case that couldn't be farther from the truth and that made this infinitely worse.

How do you revert back to a platonic relationship in this scenario? You don't. As it turns out you shy away from each other which is strange considering prior to that, you were drawn to one another naturally.

Their attraction has become imbalanced. There's been a shift in magnetism; the negative charges and positive charges that used to flow between them are now skewed. The energy that once radiated the girls from within now shook with charged static electricity. Everyone around them could feel it. In fact, Paige swore she could feel the hair rise on her arms and neck when she neared Emily. And they didn't dare touch. No hugs, no pats on the back, no elbows brushing as they sat at their high top table in Chemistry class. To touch would have caused a shock…a sting to their hearts and souls.

Paige and Emily were like oil and vinegar at the moment. The two pair together well but they do not mix.

The separation from each other was not easy. Not even a little bit.

Paige felt as though her emotions were on a yo-yo. One second she was spiraling downward; her upset over ending things with Emily overshadowing all else. Then she'd hit bottom, the string would pull tight, and she'd bounce back up. It was in those moments at the top, when she was with Riley, getting to know her sister, when Paige felt she was supposed to see this through.

If she and Emily were meant to be together then things would work out. Paige quickly began to see that her life would be unfulfilled if she didn't have Riley or Emily in her life. Paige refused to go halfway with either of them.

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School was scheduled to be closed for two days in mid-October for teachers' conferences. Everyone looked forward to these days. Well, the students did anyway. The teachers still had to work.

Originally Paige and Emily had discussed driving into Philly one of the two days to spend time in the city. Their parents did not agree to let them stay over so it would have had to be a day trip. Now of course the trip was scraped. Instead, Paige asked Riley if she'd like to go camping with her.

It was a win-win for Paige. She'd get to spend time bonding with Riley and she would be able to focus her mind on something other than Emily.

Paige and Riley packed up a tent, air mattresses, gear and clothes. Riley was chosen to drive since she has a Jeep. Paige's compact car was well-suited for bee-bopping around town. It was not well-suited for a camping trip.

Now that they're on the road to the state park Paige is wishing she'd have asked her dad to borrow his SUV. Riley Hastings drives like a NASCAR pro. Paige had never been more thankful for the "oh shit" handle on the door in her life.

Riley laid on the horn. "Move over fucker!" Correction: Riley Hastings drives like a woman possessed. The expletives that come out of Riley's mouth while she drives could make a sailor blush.

Paige looked over to Riley. "Chill out would ya? I'd like us to actually make it to the campground."

Riley gestured at the vehicle in front of them angrily. "Well Mamaw here won't get over! This is the passing lane. Passing! This jackass is not passing." Riley blared her horn again. Finally the car in front of them flicked on their blinker and changed lanes.

Riley punched the gas while she sped past the grey van in front of them. It was the kind that has those stickers all over the back window. There was a football with the number 11 in the middle and the name Cory stenciled above it. To the right of that was a soccer ball with the number 5 in the middle and the name Abby stenciled above it. On the other side of the rear window was one of those stick-figure family decals. Apparently mom and dad have two kids, a boy and a girl, with a dog and a cat. _When did those even become and thing?_ Riley wondered. _And why? Do we all need to know that Cory plays football, Abby plays soccer and you've got a dog and a cat chillin' at home?_ Riley rolled her eyes. If the driver hadn't been dawdling in the passing lane Riley wouldn't have even noticed nor been annoyed by it.

Paige dared to look over at the woman driving the van as they passed. She was oblivious to the fact that she'd nearly given Riley a coronary by driving slow in the passing lane.

Riley glanced over at the women as she passed. Paige could swear she just heard Riley say "sorry" under her breath. "Did you just say 'sorry?'", Paige asked.

"Yes."

"What are you apologizing to me for?"

"I'm not," Riley said with a shake of her head. She kept her eyes trained on the road in front of them. "I apologized to her."

Paige laughed out loud. "Let me see if I have this right. You just apologized to the woman you've been calling a 'fucking asshole' for two miles while you nearly rode on top of her bumper?"

"Yes."

Paige held up her right pointer finger. "A woman, mind you, whom has no idea you've been screaming at her nor can she hear you…and you've just apologized."

"Yes, Paige. I said yes."

"You're weird."

"I am not! I just feel bad now."

"Then why behave that way in the first place?"

Riley took one hand off the wheel and raised it in the way you do when you're exasperated with something or someone. "Because I can't stand it when people do that. It's a pet-peeve of mine."

"What is? Someone trying to drive their family around safely?" Paige asked.

"No, driving slowly in the passing lane." Paige looked at Riley like she was unhinged. "Don't look at me like that. We all have pet-peeves. Even you. What's one of yours?"

Paige thought the question through for a moment. She guessed Riley has a point. "When people say 'ideal' instead of 'idea.' Ugh, that gets me every time." Paige was pleased when Riley laughed at that. "What's another one of yours Speed Racer?"

"Speed Racer?"

"Yeah, that's what I'm calling you now. Out with it…pet-peeve?"

"I have no _IDEAL,"_ Riley teased. Paige punched her in the arm for that.

"Ow!" Riley rubbed the sting out of her shoulder while she laughed, "Ok, ok. Hands down one of mine is when you are out to eat and whomever you're with won't put down their phone long enough to engage in an actual conversation. I want to rip the phone out of their hands and throw it in the water carafe."

Now this was surprising to Paige. Most teenagers won't even put down their phones to eat. And here Riley wanted nothing to do with them at the dinner table. Paige liked that.

This drive wasn't turning out so bad after all. Paige quickly tried to think of another pet-peeve to share. "For my other pet peeve I'm going to go with when people don't clear the microwave numbers."

"What do you mean," Riley asked.

"My dad does this all the time at home when he makes popcorn," Paige said with a roll of her eyes. "If I use the microwave and I get my food out before the timer goes off I hit 'cancel' so the time remaining is cleared."

"OK…"

"It bugs me when other people aren't courteous enough to clear their leftover time. They know they took their food out early…why not just reach over and push that little cancel button? It bugs me even when I'm not next to use the microwave. If I walk by and see this has happened I HAVE to walk over to the microwave and cancel the time."

"I think that's called OCD, Paige. Spencer has it too," Riley deduced. She laughed picturing Spencer doing the exact same thing.

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At the same time, back in Rosewood, Hanna and Emily were driving around town. Emily had not wanted to leave the house. She would have preferred to stay up in her room with the lights off, television on, blu-ray in with a sappy Rom-Com playing out on screen. It's like that part in Hitch where Eva Mendes is watching Jerry Maguire. Things with her character and Hitch aren't looking so good…she's got tissues in her lap, she's curled up in a blanket and she's squirting whip cream from a can into her mouth. Yeah, that's what Emily would have preferred to be doing at this moment in time.

Hanna had other plans. She needed to get Emily out of the house. Her friend had been in a daze since her break-up with Paige. It was time to let a little happiness back in.

Hanna had no destination in mind when she picked Emily up. She turned the lights on in Emily's bedroom, shut the television off and said, "Get up, get dressed, and meet me in my car in ten minutes."

So here they are driving around Rosewood listening to music and sitting in silence. Emily is leaning against the door with her arms crossed over her chest and a pout etched across her normally happy, care-free face.

Listening to music might have been a generous description of what they are doing. They aren't so much listening to music as they are listening to one song on repeat. By Emily's rough estimate this song has been on for the fourth time now.

Emily looked over to her friend driving. Hanna was bobbing her head to the beat and whistling every once in a while. "Hanna, I've had enough of this song."

Hanna looked over to her downtrodden friend with a bright smile while she continued bobbing her head. "Em! This is my song! Flo Rida is my man!" Just then the hook came up and Hanna belted out "I don't like it…no I LOVE it!"

They were at a stoplight waiting for the light to turn green. Hanna looked over and noticed the people in the car next to her pointing and laughing. She didn't care. Her best friend was in a funk. A bad one. She'd car dance all day long, broadcast it on a JumboTron for the world to see if it would eventually bring a smile to her friends face.

By the sixth time round, Emily's head was bobbing just enough to detect the motion. Mid-way through the eighth time round, Emily was whistling along on the designated parts. By the tenth time she was singing along with Hanna and smiling.

Hanna congratulated herself on a job well done. Can't no one stay in a foul mood with that song turned up.

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Riley watched Paige struggle with the tent poles as they tried to set up camp for the evening. She offered to help her sister but Paige politely declined. Paige wanted Riley to enjoy this camping trip. She told her to sit back and relax. She'd have everything set up in a "jiffy."

Riley surmised that a "jiffy" in Paige's world is just this side of never. "Paige, let me give you a hand," she said again.

Paige looked up when she heard Riley's voice. Just as she did so, the tent pole she was bending into place snapped back and whacked her in the leg. She howled in pain. Once she could speak, Paige looked up with a sheepish grin on her face, "I suppose I could use your help."

When both girls worked together they made a great team. In no time at all they had the tent up, air mattresses inflated and a fire going in the barbeque pit.

Each girl had a turkey dog stuck to the end of a skewer. Paige was turning hers over slowly. She let it roast evenly over the hottest parts of the coals. Riley had hers stuck in the middle of the orange-red flames.

By the time Riley pulled her stick back the turkey dog was charred black in most spots. Paige got up and headed towards her dad's cooler.

"I'll get you another one," Paige said as she reached for the package of organic turkey dogs.

"Another what?" Riley asked.

Paige turned to face Riley and pointed at the charred food on her sister's stick.

Riley shook her head. "I don't need another one."

"You're going to eat that?"

"Yeah!" Riley took the turkey dog off of her stick and closed a bun around it. She sat it down on a reusable plastic plate. "A little relish," she spooned relish onto the hotdog "…some spicy mustard," she squirted mustard next "…all set," she said before taking a big bite.

Paige laughed as she walked back towards the campfire. She squeezed Riley's shoulder as she walked past her. "If it weren't for the fact that we have this weird kind of innate connection, I'd swear the hospital switched one of us at birth."

Riley laughed with Paige. They were having a really great time together. This is what she's been hoping for since she'd come to terms with Paige being her sister. And Paige was finally catching up to her.

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Hanna pulled into Emily's driveway to drop her friend back off at home. She reached across the console and squeezed Emily's hand. "Feeling any better, Em?"

Emily squeezed Hanna's hand back. She is truly blessed to have this crazy, sometimes frustrating friend in her life. "Yeah, I think I am."

"Good," Hanna said with a nod of her head. "You do know that Paige cares about you, right?"

Emily nodded her head yes. She does know. And that makes this all the more difficult. "I know; it's just hard."

This time it was Hanna who nodded her head in understanding. It bothered her, Spencer and Aria to see both of their friends upset. And Riley. Riley felt like it was somehow her fault that Emily and Paige broke up. All of the girls tried to reassure her that it wasn't. This was just a difficult situation. And sometimes difficult situations call for difficult decisions. There is no one in the wrong here.

"Riley and Paige are camping this weekend," Emily said absentmindedly.

"I know," Hanna responded.

"Paige and I were going to go into the city today." 

"I know that, too." That's why Hanna had come over to Emily's house in the first place. She didn't want her friend dwelling on the fact that she wasn't spending the day with Paige as intended.

"I wonder what they're doing…"

Hanna chuckled to herself. "Well, I haven't heard of any forest fires today so I'd say all's well."

Emily smiled softly and nodded her head.

Hanna looked back over to Emily with a soft, caring expression on her face. "Em, you know that just because Paige is spending this time with Riley, it doesn't mean she doesn't want to be with you, right?"

"I do," Emily said with a sigh.

Emily craned her neck towards the passenger window. She looked up to the inky black nighttime sky; the very same one Paige was gazing at two hours away at the campground. _I miss her_ both girls thought to themselves. They hoped there could soon be reconciliation. They couldn't bear the separation much longer.


	16. Chapter 16

**Guest (Dust)- Yes, the last message was for you. :) You are kind of making me wish I had gone into psychiatry. Everything you have said is so interesting. I am glad you really like the story. I'm sorry that formulates into a *bit* of frustration for you. :) I think I know what I'm going to do with Chapter 17. I'll be interested to see what you have to say about that one.**

 **Chapter 16**

With a great deal of hard work and dogged determination, the Rosewood High girls field hockey team made it to the final game of the sectional championship. If they were to win this game they will advance to regionals.

Their opponent is a tough one and also Rosewoods cross-town rival, Stratton Academy. Their teams were notorious for playing dirty and bending the rules. It was a widely known fact that though prohibited, the school has found a sanctioning loophole due to their charter status and actively recruits athletes.

Stratton has five seniors in their starting lineup. Three of them are destined for Division 1 teams. Their star striker is All State and has University of Virginia, Duke and UCONN chomping at the bit. And her teammates aren't far behind her.

The Rosewood players knew this game would be a challenge. The team also knew going in that their three star players were likely to have targets on their backs for the entirety of the game. Riley, Spencer and Paige were determined to give everything they've got to beat Stratton.

The three girls have been nicknamed The Bermuda Triangle by their teammates. With Spencer and Paige up front and Riley behind them in the middle, all those who entered their vicinity did so at their own risk. With Paige's ball handling, Spencer's finesse and Riley's speed they made a killer combo.

Both teams gave everything they had during the first half of the game. With the score tied at 2 all, the players knew they'd be in for some raucous pep talks from their coaches during the half.

Rosewood went over plays. Talked strategy. Got the girls pumped and ready to give it another 110%!

Stratton apparently went over body shots. Or rather how to conceal and get away with body shots. They came out with a bloodlust for the second half. And their sights were trained on Paige and Riley.

Both girls were taking a beating. The Rosewood fans in the stands were furious with the refs for not calling any of the blatant fouls. At one point, Paige nearly got kicked out of the game. After Riley had taken a particularly hard jab to the ribs without a call against Stratton, Paige called timeout and ran up to the lead ref. She got right up in his face while letting him know what a disgrace he was to the uniform he wore. It took the pleading from three of her teammates to coax her away and the reasoning of her coach to the ref for Paige not to be kicked off the pitch.

Riley on the other hand did get removed from the game. With good reason; she started a bench-clearing shoving match. Turns out when you mess with her sister, Riley pulls of the kid gloves and shit gets real.

It all happened when one of the Stratton girls tripped Paige with her hockey stick. Paige went down. Under the ruse of scraping for the ball, the same Stratton girl struck Paige's arm with her hockey stick. It wasn't a hard strike but it was a deliberate foul nonetheless.

Paige lay on the ground pointing at the player and yelling at the ref to "give her a fucking break." He claimed to not have seen anything occur and turned to head back towards the action. When he did, the Stratton player shoved Paige back down to the ground discreetly.

When Riley saw that, it was over. She sprinted towards Paige yelling "that's my sister!" The next thing they all knew, Riley had tackled the Stratton girl to the turf and had her pinned there.

One thing was certain in all of this; their protective instincts were on point.

The game ended in overtime with Stratton beating Rosewood by one goal and thus ending Rosewoods season.

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By this time of year, in late October, the air turned pretty cool at night. Paige likes it this way. Fall is her favorite time of year. And her favorite thing to do this time of year is star gaze. For some reason she is convinced that the stars seem brighter and more vibrant in the crisp autumn sky.

After she showered and changed into clean clothes after the game, Paige headed back out to the hockey pitch. She needed some alone time. It wasn't because she's upset the team lost. She just needed to think.

Paige walked out to midfield and sat her duffle bag down. She then stretched out on the turf using her duffle as a pillow. She had been lying there for close to fifteen minutes when she heard footsteps coming up behind her. Paige craned her head back to see who was approaching.

"Whatcha lookin' for Galileo?" Spencer asked.

Spencer had been watching from the parking lot as Paige made her way to the pitch a while ago. She decided then to wait around until Paige went to leave. She didn't want her friend out here at night all by herself. When it became apparent that Paige was deep in thought and had no intention to leave soon, Spencer took it upon herself to check on Paige.

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Answers."

"Have you found them written in the stars," Spencer asked as she sat down cross-legged next to Paige.

Paige didn't have an answer for that. So far, being alone with her thoughts hasn't helped with clarity.

Spencer filled the silence between them with another question. "What's bothering you tonight, Paige? I know it's not because we lost the game."

Paige turned her head to the side to look at Spencer. "She didn't come to the game."

Spencer knew the only "she" that Paige cared about who'd been absent tonight is Emily. "She's trying to give you the space you told her you needed. Emily and you...you two have this thing between you. It's hard for her right now, Paige. She doesn't feel like she can just be your friend at this point."

"It's hard for me too, Spencer. Emily has been by my side through all of this family stuff, and now she's just gone. I hate it. But Dr. Sullivan said-"

Spencer cut Paige off abruptly. "Do you know much about constellations, Paige?"

Paige looked at Spencer with a confused expression. This was a wild change of topic. "I like to star gaze, but no, I really don't know much about the constellations."

"Ok. Well Gemini constellation is right there." Spencer grabbed Paige's hand and used it to point in the direction she wanted Paige to look. "Its two brightest stars are named Castor and Pollux who just so happen to be twins in Greek mythology. In fact, Gemini is Latin for 'twins.'"

"Ok…" Paige braced herself for Astronomy lesson 101 that she knew Spencer was about to give her.

"It's interesting, isn't it? The twins Castor and Pollux are just two of the 85 stars that make up the Gemini constellation."

Paige picked out the two bright stars for which Spencer was speaking about.

"The two twins of course stand out," Spencer explained. "But they are no more important than the rest of the stars that make up Gemini. Without all of them, the constellation would be incomplete."

Paige looked back over to Spencer in her periphery. "I feel like there is a metaphor here, but I'm having a hard time getting there. Why don't you just tell me what it is, Spence?"

Spencer rolled her eyes. "Let's say your life is the constellation Gemini. And for the sake of this little exercise, let's say you are Castor and Riley is Pollux. Over there," Spencer pointed towards the sideline, "a few feet away is Emily. She's one of the other stars that make up your life. Without your twin star, your life is incomplete. So too, without your Emily star your life cannot fully form in to what it is destined to be. None of you are meant to exist independent of each other. You can have both in your life at once, Paige."

"But Dr. Sullivan said…"

"What? She said what exactly?"

Paige would never forget what Dr. Sullivan said. She could recite it verbatim even now. "She said that she thought I should take a step back from Emily. That we should only be friends for right now."

"That was her advice to you. She did not tell you this was something you _had_ to do. It was your choice to heed that advice and break things off with Emily."

Paige sat up in a huff. "She's a trained doctor, Spencer. Of course I listened to her."

"I know, and I get that. Is it possible she made a bad judgment call? You and Riley have not had a single session together. How can she have possibly known what was best for all three of you unless she spoke with you all together?" Paige was silent as she thought this over. "You aren't happy, Paige and it is obvious to everyone that you miss Emily. And she misses you too."

Paige nodded her head in understanding. She had a lot to think about.

Spencer stood up to leave Paige alone in her thoughts and star gazing. Spencer looked back up to Gemini before glancing back to Paige. She rested her hand on Paige's shoulder. "I hope you find the answers you're looking for up there, Paige."

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Emily debated all night if she would carry through with her plan to show up unannounced to Paige's house tonight. It's the day before Paige and Riley's birthday and Emily has a present for Paige. Just because they aren't dating anymore doesn't mean Emily shouldn't still give it to her. Especially this gift.

The memory of the night Paige broke up with her came back with vivid detail as Emily made her way to the front door of the McCullers' house. Emily rang the doorbell and waited with bated breath.

Claire McCullers opened the door with a warm smile for Emily. "Hi, Emily. What brings you by tonight?"

Emily held up the object in her hand that she'd covered with "Happy Birthday" wrapping paper. "I, um, I brought something by for Paige. Maybe I should just leave it with you to give her?"

Claire shook her head. "She's upstairs in her bedroom. Why don't you go on up and give it to her?" Emily agreed as she crossed the threshold into the house.

Claire watched Emily walk up the stairs towards Paige's room. Claire sincerely likes Emily Fields. When her daughter told her and her husband that she and Emily had begun dating they were both pleased with the news. Maybe they were headed towards that again? She hoped so; for her daughters sake and apparently Emily's.

Emily stood apprehensively on the other side of Paige's closed bedroom door. This will be the first time they've had real interaction for weeks. She took a deep breath and knocked gently on the door with her knuckles.

"Come on in," she heard Paige say through the door.

Emily opened the door to see Paige lying on her bed, face down with what looked like Calculus homework spread out.

Paige startled when she looked up to see who it was that had entered her room. The surprise of it being Emily made her nearly fall off the bed.

She stood quickly and straightened out her rumpled clothes. "Em..ily. Um, hi. What are you doing here?"

Emily looked down at the carpeted floor beneath her feet. "I know it's yours and Riley's birthday tomorrow. I wanted to give you this," she said, as she handed the wrapped package out to Paige.

Paige took the package from Emily. As she did, their hands touched. Both girls nearly gasped at the contact. "You didn't have to get me anything," Paige said with a big smile.

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "I want you to have it. Go on…" she said, motioning for Paige to get on with unwrapping the gift.

Paige tore the paper none too elegantly. As the wrapping fell to the floor it revealed a 5x7 frame with a picture of Riley and Paige. It was a shot of Paige and Riley on the hockey pitch. The two were hugging in celebration after Paige had just scored a goal. Riley's arms were around Paige's waist as she lifted her sister off of her feet. It was taken at the sectional game against Stratton.

Paige was taken back. "Did you take this?" Emily nodded her head yes. "You were there? I didn't see you. I looked."

"I didn't stay the whole game. None of the girls knew I was there either." Emily played at her bottom lip nervously. "I just, I know things between us are a little off right now, but I wanted to be there for you. Even if you didn't know I was."

Emily pointed at the picture in Paige's hands. "Anyway, I couldn't help taking the picture in that moment. I doubt you two have many pictures together. This can be the start of your memories."

Paige wanted to cry. She was deeply touched by the sentiment and the selflessness that this wonderful girl before her showed. Paige couldn't help herself; she wrapped Emily in a tight hugged. "Thanks," she whispered. The soft tone of voice did nothing to diminish the sincerity of her gratitude.

"You're welcome." Paige released Emily from her grasp and sat the picture frame on her bedside table. Emily looked towards the bedroom door. "I better go. It looks like you've got homework to do."

Emily was halfway across the room when she heard Paige say, "I've been thinking a lot about us lately. Well, all the time really."

Emily hesitantly turned around to face Paige. She was silent as Paige continued.

"Spencer said something to me after the sectional game that made sense in a weird way." She waited a beat to continue as she tried to remember what all Spencer had said. "There are these Greek guys named Casper and Pollen."

 _That doesn't sound right. Anyway…not the point_ Paige thought. She continued, "They're twins. I'm Casper. Riley is Pollen. And you're a star. We all make Gemini."

"I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to say, Paige."

Paige wasn't sure either. Spencer was better with the metaphor. Paige changed the message to something she could explain better.

"Riley may be my other half, Emily, but you are my _heart and soul,_ " Paige said while clutching her chest. She felt her heart beating double-time.

Emily was speechless. "I- I don't know what to say."

Paige smiled. "I do…for once." Paige walked over to Emily and cradled both of her hands in her own palms. She gently rubbed her thumbs over the tops of Emily's hands. "I love you. I do. I am in love with you, Emily." Both girls' eyes began to shine with unshed tears. "And it breaks my heart not being with you. I miss you and I can't do any of this without you. I don't want to. Is there any chance at all that you might still want to be with me?"

"Yes. Absolutely, yes!" The tears that had been held at bay since Paige started talking finally spilled down Emily's cheeks. "I love you too, Paige."

Paige dropped Emily's hands and encircled Emily's trim waist with her arms. She pulled the girl in close. Emily folded her arms around Paige's neck. This night was turning out much better than she had hope for.

They looked deeply into each other's eyes. Both girls leaned forward with their heads angled to the right. When their soft lips reunited again for the first time in a month, their bodies ached with the memory of how right this felt between them.

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A Hastings never does anything unless it can be done to perfection. Apparently that also includes a birthday party for eighteen year old twins. The bash of the year so far was going down at Spencer's Nana's lake house.

The guests of honor: Riley Hastings and Paige McCullers. The house was crammed full of people. To escape the cramped rooms and confined heat, some of the partiers headed down towards the dock.

Aria had convinced her dad's TA to buy alcohol for the party. And it was in abundant supply. Paige, Riley, Hanna, Emily, Spencer and Aria were going to stay there for the night. With no need to drive home, gone was the restraint of having a designated driver or minimum consumption. That's not to say the friends got shit-faced, but they did have fairly heavy buzzes going.

Paige and Emily spent most of the night together on the dance floor that had been cleared out in the living room. Fast or slow, the song didn't matter. All that mattered was the rhythm of their bodies together and the heat it created within them.

The second Rita Ora's "Body on Me" started playing; Emily grabbed Paige at her hips and pulled their bodies flush together. Emily reached around Paige and squeezed her firm ass. She left her hands there as she slowly rotated their hips together. Paige's hands snuck up the back of Emily's shirt. She ran her fingers up and down the length of Emily's back.

Not that they noticed, but neither girl gave a damn if anyone was watching or what they were thinking.

Through the surround sound speakers, the song pumped with a sensual beat.

 _You're taking me there, you're taking me there_

 _Our lips are barely touching_

 _So do it again, so do it again_

 _We could be on to something_

Emily played out the words in dance. She slipped her leg between Paige's thighs and increased the speed and pressure of their hip rotations. She leaned towards Paige _justenough_ so that their lips were touching within a breath of a whisper. She sang along to the lyrics while she looked at Paige with a fire in her eyes.

 _Heyo, heyo, I just wanna feel your body on me_

 _Heyo, heyo, if you want it then you got it, hold me_

 _No more, no more wasting time, we can, we can go all night_

 _Heyo, heyo, I just wanna feel your body on me_

Emily buried her hands under the front of Paige's shirt. She scratched her fingertips along Paige's taut stomach. Paige nuzzled her head into Emily's neck. She was about to explode. It was getting a bit obscene.

 _I'm not asking for too much, put your fingers, lips on me_

 _Don't wait 'til the sun's up, we can keep this in between_

 _Us, only nobody has to know what's going down right now baby_

Emily suddenly turned, with her back to Paige and grinded her ass into Paige's pelvis. She dropped to her knees then painfully slowly, she shimmied her way up Paige's body to a standing position again.

Paige pulled Emily's hair back from her neck and started to suck on her pulse point. She was positive she heard Emily moan at the contact. In an instant, Paige felt Emily tugging her off the dance floor. Where ever she was dragging her girlfriend to, she intended to get there in a hurry.

Emily pushed Paige through the door of a bedroom at the back of the house. She turned and locked it with a click.

As soon as the door shut, they were on each other. Paige's hands were once again buried in Emily's hair. Emily's hands roamed over every part of Paige's body she could reach. Emily placed a path of openmouthed kisses along the column of Paige's neck. Her skin was sticky with sweat from the activity on the dance floor. Emily detected the saltiness on her tongue. Her mouth watered to taste more of Paige.

Both girls kicked their shoes off and Paige guided them towards the bed. Next were their shirts and bras. Each garment left in a pile at the side of the bed. Emily laid down flat on her back. She scooted up the bed towards the pillows. Her dark hair rested in waves around her. Paige followed Emily on the climb up the bed as she tossed the mountain of decorative throw pillows and shams to the floor.

Paige straddled Emily's waste. She'd never seen anything quite as beautiful as Emily Fields. "You're beautiful," she said as she sensually ran two fingertips down the center of Emily's body from neck to navel. In her touches wake, she left a trail of goose bumps along Emily's heated flesh. Emily arched her back as Paige's touch sent tingles throughout her body.

Paige bent forwards and kissed Emily tenderly now. Their frantic pace had slowed some. Now she wanted to savor this moment with Emily.

Paige began to kiss from Emily's jaw line, down her neck, then to the valley between her caramel colored, round breasts. Emily might as well have been the creamy soft candy. She melted under Paige's heated touch with every kiss, nip and lick.

When Paige flicked her tongue against Emily's right nipple, Emily cried out and buried her hands in Paige's hair, keeping her girlfriend's expert mouth right where it was.

Paige gave the same attention to the left side before kissing her way down Emily's stomach. When she reached the button of Emily's jeans she looked up to make eye contact. Emily's eyes were closed as she tried to reign in the passion that Paige was causing to course through her body. This was more than she'd ever felt, with anyone, at any time. And they've not even had sex yet.

At that thought, and with the sounds of the party filtering back into the room, Emily's eyes popped open. _Not like this_ she thought to herself.

She reached down and caressed Paige's cheek, urging her girlfriend to rise back to eye level. Emily took a few deep breaths to calm down. "We need to stop, Paige. I love you, and I want to be with you more than anything, but not like this. Not with a buzz and certainly not with seventy other people right outside the door."

Paige bowed her head in sexual frustration. Then she kissed the tip of Emily's nose. "You're right. You're right." Paige reached for Emily and pulled them both up into a sitting position. "Let's head back out to the party. That's probably our safest course of action right now," she said as she took in their level of undress. If she were to stay in the bedroom with Emily right now with the way she feels, she knew she'd be up for more exploration of her girlfriends body.

Emily and Paige put their shirts and bras back on, checked and repaired their states of dishevelment in the vanity mirror, Paige replaced the pillows then they headed back out to the party.

Their time would come. Both girls hoped it would be relatively soon.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Paige was sitting at a table near the annex during a break between classes. Students were hustling to class all around her. Their laughs, shouts and banter barely registered as they flitted to and from.

All of Paige's concentration was focused on the object in her hands that were rested on top of the table. It was obviously some sort of card. On the front, in the center was her name and address. Affixed to the top right corner; a postage stamp. What her eyes were glued to was in the top left corner.

She received the mail on her birthday. Paige's mom had been to the letter box upon her arrival home from work. Paige heard her walk up the stairs and was surprised to detect her mother's footfall approach her bedroom door.

Her mom poked her head inside Paige's room. When she saw that Paige was lying on her bed reading a book, she walked through the door. "Paige, this came in the mail for you today."

Claire held out what looked like a greeting card in a pale pink envelope. Paige reached for the mail with the assumption that it was a birthday card from a relative. She looked down at the card, her eyes first going to the return address: Natalie Hastings. So it is from a relative…but not.

Paige looked up to her mom. The apprehension she felt was clear in her expression. "Mom, this is from Natalie Hastings?"

Claire bit her bottom lip between her teeth. She nodded her head. "Yes, it looks that way." Claire and Nick thought the day might come when Natalie would reach out to Paige. It seems as though the day had arrived.

Claire stood silently in the middle of Paige's bedroom as Paige continued to stare at the card. She tapped it in the palm of her left hand as she considered what to do. Having made up her mind, Paige reached over to sit the card on her nightstand. Paige straightened back then looked at her mom. "I'll open it a little later."

That was nearly one week ago today. Still, Paige had not mustered up the nerve to open the card.

Class must have started because the courtyard was now empty and Paige was alone in silence. That is until she heard someone walk up behind her.

Aria removed the neck strap from around her head and sat her camera down on the table text to Paige. As she did so she said, "Aren't you supposed to be in fifth period right now?"

Paige glanced over at her friend. "I could say the same about you."

Aria pointed at her camera. "I'm excused for the period. Mrs. Whitmore asked me to take a few candid pictures of senior classrooms for the yearbook. What's your excuse?"

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I just needed a minute. My head is starting to hurt."

Aria leant forward to get a good look at what Paige was clutching in her hands. "Does your headache have anything to do with that card?" It would make sense. Aria noticed who the card was from.

"It might… This was sent to me on my birthday."

"That was a week ago," Aria pointed out, noticing that the card was still unopened.

Paige sighed. "Yeah, I know. What do you think it says?"

There was no way for anyone to know except for Natalie who wrote it and Paige, its intended reader. "I don't know, Paige. Happy Birthday? Maybe a little more?"

"Happy Birthday," Paige could deal with. "A little more," might be a stretch.

Aria sat down next to Paige and placed one of her smaller hands on top of Paige's. With her other hand, she picked up the card and looked it over. As she did so she recited, _"Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers, but to be fearless in facing them. Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer them."_

Paige just about buried her face in her hands. Aria and Spencer never could just come out with what they intended to say. They always had to wrap their messages in philosophy and poems and quotes. It was a little exhausting.

"Aria, please. My mind cannot work out your riddles right now."

For her part, Aria hadn't even realized she had said that out loud. She remembered the verse as she looked at the card in thought. "Oh, sorry. It's from Rabindranath Tagore." Aria waved the card at Paige. "Your fear of opening this card made me think of it."

"I'm not afraid to open it. I just might not want to," Paige said in defense.

"You are afraid, Paige. And that's OK," Aria said as she squeezed Paige's hand she still covered with her own. "You are afraid of the unknown regarding what Natalie Hastings has to say. You are afraid of what happens next after you read it. And you are afraid because you are hurting over this and you are worried that the hurt will only deepen if you let your birth mom in."

Paige looked away. Aria was right.

"But Paige, none of those fears can be conquered by inaction." Aria handed the card back to Paige. "I can sit here with you for a while if you want to read it; if it would be better to have someone by your side."

Paige took the card back from Aria. She tucked it gently into the side pocket of her messenger bag. She had resolved to read the card that day and attempt to put it out of her mind until then. "Thanks for the offer, Aria." It really was sweet of her friend to think of that. "I'll read it later today."

Aria quirked an eyebrow at Paige in slight disbelief. "I will. After school," Paige promised.

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Paige wanted to be alone when she read the card from Natalie Hastings. Rather than read it at home where her parents would be around or in her car in the parking lot at school where other kids would be around, Paige drove to a spot she thought not a single other person would be.

Paige drove up the steep incline of the hill on the outskirts of Rosewood. This is where Emily had taken Paige not long before they had their first date. She did this for the solitude of the location, but also because it reminded her of Emily. It was as if her girlfriend was with her without physically having to be so.

As she ascended the hill, Paige looked down towards the city of Rosewood. The houses, businesses, lakes, pools and various other landmarks decreased in size the higher up she drove. So too occurred the shrinking of Paige's everyday life below. And she needed that right now. In order to read this card from her birth mom Paige needed to clear her head and detach herself from everything else.

Paige parked her car at the top of the bluff. She removed the card from her bag and began the task of opening the envelope. She ran her finger under the edge of the flap where her birth mom had licked the adhesive. Her mom's DNA was on this paper; as was part of Paige's she supposed.

Paige removed the card from the pink envelope. On the front of the card was a picture of a birthday cake. The cake had two lit candles stuck in the top of the numbers one and eight to signify the recipients eighteenth birthday. Above the cake it said, "Happy Birthday!"

Paige opened the card. On the right-hand inside flap it said "Happy 18th birthday to someone very special!"

On the blank left-hand inside flap Paige saw Natalie Hastings' neat hand writing. It wasn't unlike Paige's hand-writing in fact. Paige could tell that Natalie writes with a heavy pen like she does. The swoops in some of the letters on the page resembled the way Paige writes as well.

Paige took a deep breath before she started at the top. She read:

 _Happy Birthday, Paige._

 _You know this card took me over an hour to decide on? And I still bought five others taking them all home to make my final decision. It turns out that Hallmark does not make birthday cards for this._

 _I think of you often, especially on November 2_ _nd_ _. Every year I've spent the day wondering how you are; what you look like; if you're happy. I have prayed endlessly that you are._

 _We have a tradition in our home. At 3:26 a.m. on November 2_ _nd_ _I wake up Riley and sing Happy Birthday to her. (even when she is still half asleep, and in recent years, griping for having been woken up) What she never knew though is that at 3:21 a.m. I cry as I silently sing the song to you, her twin…wherever you might have been._

 _I am so very happy that you and Riley have each other in your lives now. I know it's still early days in your relationship but please know, since having met you and spending time with you, I have detected a change in Riley. The simple fact is; I believe you must complete each other._

 _I am so sorry to have taken 17 years worth of that bonding time away from you. I know you cannot possibly begin to understand the predicament I was in or the decision I made. It gutted me, Paige. If not for the necessity of having to care for Riley, I doubt I'd have survived the heartbreak of putting you up for adoption._

 _You and I may never have any sort of relationship. If that is to be our fate I must accept that. I know the McCullers' are wonderful, loving parents to you. I would not ever wish to take their place. However, should you ever dream to reach out to me, for a chat, perhaps a cup of tea…I will be here, Paige._

 _Happy Birthday._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Natalie Hastings_

Natalie's words had blurred halfway through the card as tears formed in Paige's eyes. By the time she was done reading it, tears traced down her cheeks in a constant stream. She brushed them away with the top of her hand and sniffed. It seems as though perhaps Natalie Hastings was not immune to the hurt this situation had caused. Honestly, Paige did feel bad for her. And that helped solidify her next move.

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At the dinner table that night Paige planned to speak to her mom and dad about the card that Natalie sent. It was the elephant in the room anyway. Neither parent knew how to ask about it. Also, they weren't sure if they should.

Paige ran her finger around the rim of her glass of water. When she did it made an eerie screeching sound. She had not done it to annoy her parents. She was simply fidgeting while trying to figure out how to bring up the card.

Finally, her dad reached over to cover her hand with his. When he did so, her pattern around the rim was halted. "Paige, please stop. It sounds like you are releasing a banshee in the dining room." Her dad then removed his hand.

Claire looked up at the pair of them. "Is something on your mind, honey?"

Paige knew her mom's question was directed towards her. Paige took her finger off of the glass. "I read the birthday card from Natalie Hastings today."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," Paige said as she crossed her hands in her lap. "It was…OK I guess."

"Are _you_ OK," her dad asked.

Paige smiled. "I think I am. It got me thinking a lot."

Her mom nodded her head in understanding. "That's to be expected, I think."

Paige looked back and forth between her mom and dad. They really are wonderful parents. That they do not share the same genes makes no difference to Paige. She loves them with all of her heart. And she knows they feel the same. Still, she worried her next statement could hurt their feelings.

"Would you guys mind if I, um, if I maybe talked to her sometime? Natalie Hastings, I mean?"

Nick and Claire exchanged looks. They expected this would happen, and honestly, they understood their daughter's curiosity in speaking to, or maybe getting to know her birth mom.

"Paige, you have every right to want to talk to Natalie. We would never discourage that," Nick said.

Claire joined in from across the table. "I do, however, think it would be a good idea to meet, at least for the first time, or first several times, in the presence of Dr. Sullivan."

"I'm ok with that," Paige agreed.

Claire said she would call Natalie later that evening and then check if Dr. Sullivan could fit them in to her schedule sometime soon.

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As luck would have it, Dr. Sullivan had an opening due to a cancellation in her schedule for the next week.

With seven people in the room, the limited seating was a little tight in Dr. Sullivan's office. Riley and Paige ended up sitting next to each other in conference chairs on one end of the couch. Claire, Natalie and Chris sat on the couch. Nick sat on the opposite side of the couch in another conference chair.

They formed a crescent shape around Dr. Sullivan who sat in her chair in front of all six of them. If being surrounded by this many people all looking to her for counsel felt like a daunting task to her, it didn't show. That, in addition to her faith in the doctor, calmed Paige considerably. Looking to Riley Paige could see that it did her as well.

They all talked a lot during the session. The forty-five minutes were over in no time. Everyone had a lot to say and a lot of feelings to share. All-in-all, Paige considered the afternoon meeting a success. They decided that more joint sessions would be beneficial for everyone. Every other week all six of them would meet with Dr. Sullivan. On those off weeks Riley and Paige would keep their individual sessions with Dr. Sullivan in case they felt the need to discuss anything from the joint session the week before.

As the weeks progressed and the sessions continued, Paige and Riley couldn't quite believe how well their lives were going. What once was scary, hurtful and unfathomable began to transition to tolerable, then acceptable and then manageable. There was still much work ahead to put into the healing and progression. Still, both sisters were optimistic and happy. That made all the difference.


	18. Chapter 18

**Sorry for the delay. I aim for an update each week, but sometimes that's impossible. But I do hope you enjoy this chapter…I think you might, perhaps.**

 **Here you go Dinosaurfan…I liked your idea. (I added a little something to it at the end)**

 **Chapter 18**

Once the end of Rosewood's field hockey season rolled around Paige was freed up to begin training with the swim team. With Emily as team captain the team was lead very well. She was a natural leader and someone the rest of the girls could look up to. Paige filled the role of team motivator. She could always get the girls riled up and ready to win prior to a meet.

Paige made a fantastic addition to the team. Now well into the season, in addition to her individual races, Paige had been tapped to swim the start of the freestyle and medley relays with Emily as anchor. Paige started the relays strong and Emily drove them into the finish. Paige and Emily were far and away the best swimmers for the Sharks.

The two girls walked out of the natatorium holding hands as they approached their cars in the schools parking lot on a late Friday afternoon.

Paige threw her duffle bag into the trunk of her car as Emily waited to say goodbye. Paige kissed her girlfriend briefly on the cheek as she pressed the unlock button on her key fob. "I'll pick you up in an hour?"

Emily nodded her head yes and sighed. "I wish we didn't have to go."

Paige groaned. "Me too. We could bail?"

"Bail on Spencer Hastings? I don't think so." Emily knew the wrath they would face if they tempted fate. "Besides, she has a fair point. We haven't all hung out since we got back from Thanksgiving break."

All of the girls, plus their dates, were going to hang out tonight in the Hastings' converted barn. Both Paige and Emily would have preferred a night to themselves. With school, swim commitments, and both families having been out of town for the holiday, their alone time had been nonexistent.

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Fortunately, all of the couples got along very well. Emily and Paige, Spencer and Toby, Hanna and Caleb, Aria and Blake and Riley and Justin filled up the great room in the professionally decorated barn. This space was most often used by Spencer's parents to entertain guests and clients.

Hanna was a little disappointed that there would be no alcohol available to them tonight. Ironically, Spencer's parents were actually home this evening. They would not take kindly to their daughter and her underage friends raiding their liquor cabinets.

The group kept things simple. The girls congregated near the kitchen island talking while the guys played video games. Their enthusiastic shouts were drowning out the girls conversations. Finally, Spencer walked towards the seating area, grabbed the remote and turned off the television.

"Hey," a few of the guys said as all of their heads swiveled towards Spencer.

"Enough." She gestured towards her group of friends standing at the island. "This is starting to look like a middle school dance." It was, too. The guys were on one side of the big room while the girls were on the other. "The point is for us all to hang together. Besides, Hanna is eating all of the food."

"I am not," Hanna said around a mouthful of chocolate chip cookie.

Toby stood up and looked down to his pals. "She's right guys. Let's all play nice."

Justin fake coughed into his hand. He mumbled "whipped." Spencer headed that off with a cutting glare in his direction. He turned his head away from the stare.

Paige walked over to the living area. She had been playing video games with the guys a little bit ago. She liked to work the room and mingle with all of her friends. "Let's do something we can all take part in."

Aria, being the most artistic of the group suggested Pictionary. They split into teams: Aria and Blake, Riley and Justin and Spencer and Toby against Emily and Paige and Hanna and Caleb. Hanna claimed that their team would be at an unfair advantage being down two players but Emily and Paige disagreed. They felt confident in their chances.

As it turns out, that was a great idea. The couples had a fun time razzing their friends, attempting to draw what they were challenged with. Some of the answers they shouted out were absurd. But everyone was having a good time.

The teams were nearing the final square on the game board as Spencer and Emily walked up to their team's respective dry erase boards. They each looked at the card and category they would be tasked to draw. Their word: bookend.

Now, Spencer might be incredibly book smart but sometimes that got in the way of everyday reason. Therefore, Emily felt she had the advantage. Spencer would most likely make her picture much more difficult than it needed to be. And she was right.

Emily and Spencer took the full time allowed to quickly draw their pictures. Spencer drew an opened book; a large portion of the book's pages were stacked on the left. She drew an arrow down to the right side, where the stack of accumulated pages was much less.

Emily drew a straight line to indicate a shelf. On that shelf she drew what looked like four to five books. At the end of the line of books on each side she drew a much smaller figure that clearly was not a book. She used an arrow to point to them.

Both teams started shouting out answers. Toby looked at Spencer's drawing, then to Paige and shouted "Page! It's a page of a book!"

Spencer rolled her eyes. She used her dry erase marker to keep pointing at the right side of the book. When she did, she left little dots of blue ink all over the board.

Paige finally stood up and yelled "bookend!" Emily took three giant steps towards her and wrapped her girlfriend in a bear hug. She kissed her briefly on the lips. "I knew you'd get it."

"I knew you'd get it," Spencer mocked in a childish tone.

Emily turned back towards her friend. "Don't be such a poor loser, Spence."

"If we were playing an actual sport or something there's no way you'd have beat me."

At that, Emily was ready to challenge her friend. She's known Spencer a long time. The only way to get her to back down sometimes was to get right back in her face.

"Care to take this outside then?"

Blake chimed in, "Whoa, whoa, whoa, ladies. It's just a game."

Spencer started walking towards the French doors that led to her backyard. "You're on, Fields."

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Ten minutes later Spencer and Emily had set up Spencer's practice field hockey goals. With it being early December, the chill in the air was prominent. Both girls' breaths came out in puffs of vapor. Their friends were huddled on the back deck watching the game unfold.

"Is this how Spencer settles all of her arguments," Paige asked as she leaned over to whisper in Riley's ears.

"Pretty much," Riley said with a chuckle.

"I knew we should have bailed tonight," Paige said. "We could have finally spent some time alone together."

Riley looked over to her sister. "Not getting much 'quality' time with Emily?" She used air quotes to emphasize "quality."

Paige shook her head with a pout. "More like zero quality time…and I think you know what I mean."

Emily had improved since this summer but still, she was no match for Spencer. It was fairly obvious. Spencer stopped the game and walked towards Emily. "You might as well give up."

"Never." She looked over to the deck and yelled for Paige and Riley to join them.

"I have a proposition for you," Emily said to Spencer. "Let's have Riley and Paige join in. If Paige and I win, we get to spend a weekend at your Nana's lake house. If you and Riley win, we'll be at your beck and call for a whole weekend." She held her hand to shake with Spencer, sealing the deal.

Spencer of course took the deal. She couldn't have known then how tight the competition would truly end up being. By halfway through the game the rest of their friends gave up watching and went inside.

The four girls agreed that the first team to five would win. With the game tied at four this could be anyone's victory. Paige had the ball and was quickly approaching the goal. All that stood in her way was Riley. Riley made an ill-timed swipe for the ball and missed. Paige was able to run past her and easily send the ball to the back of the net.

Spencer had been guarding Emily while she watched all of this unfold. She ran up to her cousin. "You let Paige score! You could have easily stopped her!"

Riley looked over Spencer's shoulder. Paige and Emily were wrapped tightly in a celebratory embrace. She momentarily caught Paige's eye and winked. "No I didn't," Riley said as she turned her attention back to Spencer hoping her cousin wouldn't pick up on the lie.

Emily and Paige walked up to the two girls. "I guess it's not your night, Spence," Emily said with a laugh. Paige clapped Spencer on the back.

Emily laced her fingers with Paige's and started walking back towards the house. She looked back before they reached the deck. "Oh, and make sure the master bedroom is stacked with plenty of firewood next weekend. I don't expect us to leave the room…for anything."

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An excruciatingly long week passed before Emily and Paige were able to make use of Spencer's nana's lake house. They planned to leave for the lake immediately following swim practice Saturday morning. Emily's parents thought their daughter was spending the night at Hanna's house. Paige's parents thought that their daughter was going to spend the night at Spencer's house with her and Riley. All of their friends swore to cover for them should their parents become suspicious.

Paige and Emily carried their supply of food for the weekend and their overnight bags into the spacious house. Paige looked around as she sat her bags just inside the door. The place looks very different when it's not crowded with drunken teenagers.

The ceilings were high; their focal point being exposed wood timbers. If she could best describe the interior it might be called rustic chic. The place looked like it belongs on the shore of a lake and in the pages of Coastal Living or Country Living. Perhaps a cross between the two.

A large cobblestone fireplace with an ornate mantel took up a significant portion of one wall in the living room. The hearth was deep and had already been stacked with wood. A box of long fireplace matches sat ready and waiting on the mantel.

Paige took both of their bags into the master bedroom while Emily unpacked their groceries in the kitchen. A smaller version of the main fireplace was in the master bedroom. This is where Emily had told Spencer to make sure they had plenty of firewood to stay nice and cozy for the weekend. A chill went down Paige's spine and settled in her core.

Paige built a fire in both fireplaces then joined Emily in the kitchen. When she walked in Emily asked if she wanted to eat a late lunch.

After lunch the two girls bundled up and took a nice walk around the lake. The wind was blowing just enough to cause the water to gently lap at the lake's bank. Ice was starting to from at the edges. They wrapped their arms around each other. Their conversations were about nothing and everything all in one. This was the most time they had been able to spend alone in weeks. The girls took full advantage of the solitude.

Both had a pretty good idea of how they intended to spend their time when they got back to the house. By then the fires Paige started earlier should be heating the house nicely. And if that didn't work, the fires smoldering within them would keep them warm.

Paige could admit to herself that she was a little nervous as they approached the front door. She'd been intimate with other girls before but none of them meant anything to her like Emily does. She's truly in love for the first time. She hoped that showed in her level of affection, attention and passion once their hearts and bodies finally joined together.

Paige walked over to the fireplace to warm up. She heard Emily behind her making her way slowly over.

"You know, the last time we were here we didn't get to finish something that I started," Emily said sort of breathlessly. She now stood in front of Paige with her back turned to the fire. She held Paige's hands between her own. They were warm from Paige holding them in front of the heat. Emily looked around, "But there's no one else here now. And we are stone cold sober."

Paige dipped her head. "Uh, yeah. Here we are." She hadn't even noticed that she'd barely taken a stutter step backwards.

Emily gently caressed Paige's face with her palm. She looked deeply into Paige's eyes. "Paige, we don't have to do anything. It's ok."

Paige took a deep breath and looked high to the vaulted ceiling. "Emily, I want to. I really do. I love you, you know? This isn't just about sex; I want this to mean something for us. It's a lot of pressure."

Emily gently kissed Paige's soft lips. She squeezed Paige's hands. "I love you, too, Paige. You and I will never just have sex. When we make love it will always mean something very special."

Emily let go of Paige's hands. Her iPod was charging on the sound system near the fireplace. She made her way towards it. "How about we just relax? Take the pressure off."

Emily selected a song from her library and asked Paige to dance with her. John Mayer began playing the opening notes of "Your Body is a Wonderland" on his guitar.

Emily wrapped her hands around Paige's neck. She moved her fingers below the collar of Paige's shirt and lightly brushed her fingers along sensitive spot there. She rested her cheek on Paige's shoulder and nuzzled in to the side of her neck. Her girlfriend's hair tickled her nose. It smelled like coconut and honey.

Paige hooked her thumbs through a pair of belt loops at the back of Emily's jeans. The rest of her fingers were tucked into the back pockets. She held Emily's body tightly to her. Emily's breath on her neck was warm and moist. She angled her neck slightly just to get a little closer to Emily's mouth.

Emily placed a soft kiss to Paige's neck. It was so light that Paige could have barely felt it. But that was impossible. Emily's touch was like a lightning strike. The touch-point where Emily's lips met Paige's skin burned with the fire of desire. From there the bolt travelled with a buzz of energy throughout her entire body.

The next kiss dispersed a little more pressure. Emily opened her mouth a little wider. She licked her way up to Paige's ear. In the softest of whispers she said, "Why don't you stoke the fire in here then meet me in the bedroom. I'll take care of the fire in there."

Paige pulled apart and nodded her head in silence. Speaking was too much to ask of her at the moment.

The lights were off in the bedroom when Paige walked in. Emily walked out of the master bathroom. She had changed clothes. Paige looked her up and down. She started at the bottom of Emily's impossibly long legs. They were so firm, yet she knew, they were so soft. They felt like silk under Paige's fingers and she itched to reach out and touch them now. Emily wasn't wearing any bottoms…or panties, she assumed. Emily had put on Paige's favorite Sharks t-shirt. The hem hit at the apex of Emily's thighs. _Stoke the fire in deed,_ Paige thought.

Emily smiled at Paige. Her eyes shined bright with expectation in the flickering light of the room. She climbed onto the bed and patted the vacant spot next to her.

Paige took a running jump. She landed next to Emily. The bed rattled with the hard landing. Emily reached up and shook the headboard. It rattled again. She quirked her brow and smiled wide at Paige. This time the smile was seductive, challenging even. In the look Paige read the sign. _Let's see if we can't get this bed really rattling._

Paige scooted further up the bed. Once she was within reach, she wasted no time in kissing Emily deeply. She ran her fingertips up from Emily's calf, under the hem of the t-shirt, and swirled her fingers around Emily's hip. Emily moaned and squirmed under Paige's tenderness.

In one swift movement Emily relieved Paige of her shirt and bra. She pushed Paige's shoulder just enough to make her intention known. Paige rolled on to her back. Emily settled her weight on top of her and ran her hands up Paige's sides.

Paige felt the fabric of Emily's t-shirt rub against her already hardening nipples. That was nice but what she wanted was skin on skin. She tugged on the hem of the shirt and pulled it over Emily's head.

Emily leaned back down kissing Paige's soft inviting lips. Their tongues then met in a dual of discovery. Everything they had was being put into that kiss. Their hands roamed freely over every inch of the others body while their tongues kept them connected in the moment.

Emily raised her body above Paige's enough to give her a little space. She brushed her thumb against Paige's swollen lips. Then she grazed the back of her fingers down the column of Paige's neck, around each breast, down her stomach, circled her navel and ended at the button of Paige's jeans. After all, it wasn't fair that Emily was completely naked and Paige still had her jeans and panties on. Emily saw to it to change those circumstances quickly.

Emily kneeled at Paige's side and slid the rest of her clothing off. She couldn't quite believe how gorgeous her girlfriend is.

Paige tugged on Emily's hand pulling her up the length of her body. Emily kissed her way up Paige's torso. Paige gasped when Emily devoted all of her attention to her sensitive breasts. Her hands instinctively threaded through Emily's hair.

Emily felt the wet heat between Paige's legs and knew where her girlfriend needed her. Paige's hips bucked and her body shuddered when Emily took her first dip through Paige's folds. "Oh my, God," Paige sighed.

Emily focused all of her attention on making love to Paige. Her fingers, mouth and tongue were simply the messengers. Their message: I love you; I am yours; you are mine.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul. Paige looked into Emily's eyes and saw it. She saw the heart of the girl who loved her completely. And she knew this: two bodies and souls becoming one in passion and love and devotion must be the stairway to heaven. That's what Paige felt like as her journey towards ecstasy climbed higher, then higher still.

"I love you, Paige," Emily said as she kissed Paige and took her girlfriend over the edge.

 **A/N: Y'all I cannot write Ezra into my story. I just cannot do it; at least with the girls being in high school. As a result, Aria is dating a random named Blake.**

 **thecatfromaliceinwonderland: There's a new song for you! If you don't know the song they danced to, Google it. And I'll give you a few bonus tracks. The runner up I almost used is "Rush, Rush" by Paula Abdul. The rest are the acoustic version of Jason Derulo's "The Other Side." Or Miguel's acoustic version of "Adorn." And "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You" by Lauryn Hill. I went back and forth a lot. :) Ultimately, John Mayer won out.**


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

Paige and Emily were sitting at Emily's kitchen table filling out the paperwork from Habitat for Humanity for their upcoming trip abroad. Paige was tapping her pen against the wooden surface at an increasingly fast pace.

Emily finally reached over and smothered the offending pen in her hand. "Paige, please stop that! What is with you today?"

Paige started tapping her foot under the table. "I just feel kind of jumpy. Don't you? I think it's the anti-malaria pills. Or maybe it's from all of those shots we had to get."

Emily rolled her eyes. She loves Paige dearly but her girlfriend is a bit of a hypochondriac. "I told you that they have to list all possible side effects on the prescription information. That doesn't mean you're going to get them. And the shots are fine, Paige. The typhoid and hepatitis vaccines aren't making you jumpy."

Paige turned her attention back to the paperwork in front of her. The Habitat for Humanity people had sent their swim coach all of the information the girls had to fill out and have signed by their parents prior to the trip. This was a goodwill trip the Sharks' coach organized every year.

"Have you answered question number four yet?"

Emily looked down to her own paperwork and read aloud, "What do you hope to gain from this experience?"

"Yeah."

Emily shook her head no. "I'm just getting to that question. What did you say," Emily asked her girlfriend.

"I'm stuck there. I don't know what to answer," Paige admitted.

Emily shrugged her shoulders. "Just answer truthfully. Tell them what you hope to get out of our trip to Haiti."

Paige thought for a minute then spoke again. "That's just it though. I haven't thought about what I would get from this trip. I mean, we are going there to build houses for people displaced from that earthquake. We're doing this for them, not me."

Emily looked up from writing her own answer to the question. "You don't think you'll gain anything from this? I find that hard to believe." She pointed to her paper. "I know I will."

Paige leaned over to get a good look at what Emily wrote. _Travel…world experience…satisfaction of helping others…aiding humanity…desirable experience for college applications…_

Emily smirked and patted Paige's shoulder, "And you can't steal my answers."

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Two weeks later, the Sharks swim team left a snowy, cold Philadelphia airport headed to the first leg of their trip: Miami International. There they would meet up with other members of the Habitat for Humanity group and all fly together to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Emily and Paige couldn't believe the amount of people at their gate in Miami headed to Haiti. It looked as though their flight would be full. "What do you think everyone is going down there for," Emily asked as she leaned over to speak quietly to Paige.

"I don't know. I guess the same types of things we are." Paige then stood and grabbed Emily's hand. "Come on, let's go look around in the shops."

Inside the bookstore in their terminal Paige and Emily killed time looking around at the different books, magazines, travel gadgets and snack food. When they reached the coolers for drinks Paige opened one and started piling her arms full with bottled water.

"What are you doing," Emily asked with a chuckle.

Paige grabbed one more bottle of water as she answered. "You read the paperwork. It said to only drink bottled water when we get there. I'm not taking any chances." She then looked at a rack of protein and granola bars. She gestured towards them with her head. "Grab some of those will, ya? We may need more than we brought with us."

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The plane was packed with people on their way to Port-au-Prince. Luckily Emily and Paige were seated next to each other. "I hope the weather is nice when we get there," Emily said in conversation to Paige.

"It's gotta beat Philly in early-January," Paige responded. Having just come from Kentucky six months prior to that and North Carolina before that, Paige wasn't yet used to winters in the northeast.

"True," Emily acknowledged. "And at least we're outside of hurricane season."

"You know we're not going to get any time alone this week. We have to share a room full of cots with all of the girls."

"It'll be fine, Paige."

"Says you. Neither one of us has ever had to share a room in our lives." Then Paige smoothed her hand seductively over her torso so that only Emily could see. "Besides, like you can do without _this_ for a whole week." She smiled playfully at her girlfriend.

"Oh jeez." Emily kissed Paige's cheek. "I suppose we'll just have to suffer through."

Ten minutes later Paige disconnected her lap belt, stepped into the aisle and leaned down to Emily. Her girlfriend looked up from the magazine she was reading to listen to what Paige was going to say to her. "Can you help me with something in the lavatory in a few minutes?" Paige turned to leave before Emily could even answer.

Emily walked up to the only lavatory marked "occupied." She looked around seeing if anyone noticed her. Emily gently tapped on the door. "Paige, it's me. Are you ok?"

Paige opened the door to yank Emily inside. There was just enough room for the two girls to fit. Emily asked again, "Are you ok? What do you need me for?"

Paige spoke in a hushed tone. "I'm taking matters into my own hands."

"What are you talking about?"

"Alone time," Paige said slowly with a waggle of her eyebrows.

Emily reached for the door. "Um, no. We are not having sex in an airplane lavatory. No way."

Paige pouted comically. "Where's your sense of adventure, Em?"

"I guess it's hanging out with my _common_ _sense_ and they desire to not have to take an antibacterial bath after sex in a germy, tiny, smelly lavatory."

"Ok…but one kiss before we go back out."

Paige leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss to Emily's soft lips. As their kisses tend to do; this small kiss escalated into a much deeper kiss. Paige brought her hand up to tangle her fingers in Emily's hair. As she did so, she banged her elbow on the small sink. She yelped and complained that nothing that hurt that bad should be called a "funny bone." Emily laughed at first then leaned over to get a look at Paige's elbow. In the process she smacked her forehead on the paper towel dispenser.

Both girls were laughing and massaging their injuries when they heard a knock on the lavatory door. They froze in place like stone statues. "Fields? McCullers? You two ok in there? What's going on? Are you sick?" It was Coach Fulton.

Paige was doubled over laughing at the horrified look on Emily's face. She had her hand clamped over her own mouth to prevent being heard. Emily scrambled for an answer. "Y-yeah, Coach. We're fine. Paige…uh…Paige got hold of a bad…um...a bad bottle of water. We'll be out in a sec." Paige rolled her eyes at the bottled water remark. Emily shrugged her shoulders. That's all she could come up with under pressure.

The two girls walked down the aisle back to their seats with their heads hung low. When they got back to their seats their teammate, Sydney, who was seated in the same row leaned over. With a smirk on her face she said in a knowing tone, "Get everything sorted out in there?" Neither Paige nor Emily answered. Emily's crimson blush across her cheeks was enough.

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The terminal and baggage claim at the Port-au-Prince airport was chaos. There is no other adequate word to describe it. In fact, chaos may have been too mild of a description.

Bags were being tossed to and from. It looked as though there was no rhyme or reason to the method of sorting and delivery. The baggage personal were doing a commendable job; there just wasn't enough of them. And the last thing a passenger wanted was to not get their bag. Stranded in Port-au-Prince without your belongings was not an option.

Coach Fulton huddled her team together in a semi-quiet partition of the baggage claim area. Next to her stood a tall, dark-skinned woman with a bright pink button down shirt and a khaki skirt. "Everyone, this is Nikki. Nikki is a local Haitian and will be with us during our stay here. Nikki has a few things she wants to go over with you before we walk out of the airport."

Nikki smiled broadly showing off a pretty smile full of straight, bright white teeth. "Thank you all for coming to my country to help Habitat for Humanity. You will see as we exit the airport that things are very different here than what you are probably used to. But I want you to be assured that you are safe."

Nikki looked around at the group of teenagers. They seemed to be listening to every word she was speaking. "When we walk outside do not be surprised to be approached by people wanting to carry your bags. They may even try to remove them from your hands. Not to worry, they aren't trying to steal your belongings. They simply want you to pay them for carrying your luggage. I advise you to hold tight. It is your choice whether you want to let them or not, but I will tell you that if you let one, the others will swarm towards you. The people are very friendly here, but they are in need of jobs and opportunity. They look for those things in any way possible.

The bus that will take us to the compound that Habitat has rented for your group is just outside a fenced in area. Once the luggage has been stowed and everyone has been seated, we will depart for the compound."

The twelve girls from the team, Coach Fulton, Nikki, security person, and a Habitat field rep made their way to the exit of the airport.

As the doors opened a wave of heat assaulted everyone. It was definitely different from the northeast in January! None of the girls knew where to focus their eyes first. Everything around them was dirt, gravel, trash and debris. The air was choked with dust and what appeared to be smoke.

It was nearly dusk by the time they'd arrived, gone through customs and gathered their bags. A vibrant sunset could be seen over jagged buildings, piles of rubble and leafy palm trees. It was a breathtaking juxtaposition between beauty and disaster.

Nikki was right. As soon as they walked out their group was met with locals shouting excitedly and offering to help. "One dollar, one dollar," they shouted out. For one dollar they would carry all of your bags wherever you needed to go.

The drive to the compound was relatively quiet. Everyone's attention was zoned in on the scenery outside of the buses windows. Women walked past with bags of rice balanced on top of their heads. Children ran by with no shoes on kicking cans along the dirt roads pitted with deep potholes full of gray water. Men could be seen along the side of the road selling their homemade goods and artwork.

Dogs, chickens, goats and cows shared the road with what vehicles there were. Everything moved along slowly on the crowded, pitted dirt pathways. Piles of trash and rubble stood in heaps stories high. Some of the piles of trash burned giving off thick, black smoke.

People congregated in the roadways laughing, smiling, and talking amiably. In fact, they looked downright happy. This was profoundly surprising to the girls. They expected to come to Port-au-Prince and find depressed, sad people. Instead, they were watching a society that were happy and whom felt blessed to have what they did and family, friends and neighbors they love who had survived. It was an eye-opening experience for them all and something that would set the tone and feeling of the rest of their week in Haiti.

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Eventually the bus carrying the Rosewood Sharks turned into a gated compound. They were going to be staying outside of the Port-au-Prince limits in a small community called Terre Noire. The compound primarily serves as a hub for the community also known as Blanchard. There is a school for boys and girls, a clinic and church. Habitat partners with the local organization that runs the compound; this is where the build teams stay during each trip. The cinderblock walls are painted a bright yellow and look to be freshly painted. Everything is open-air. There are two stories with a walkway surrounding the second level. A wide courtyard lies in the middle of the rectangular interior. Two large trees take up space in the middle of the courtyard, their branches offer shade during the high-heat days.

Everyone grabs their belongings and follows Nikki and Coach Fulton upstairs to the bunk room. All of the girls will be staying together in this room. Coach Fulton will be sleeping in a single room down the walkway.

The girls walk in and set their bags on the floor. Paige looks around the room. It is about 12 feet by 12 feet and made of cinderblock with a worn concrete floor. The entry into the room is open and lacking a door. There are two windows: one at the walkway which overlooks the courtyard, the other is on the opposite wall and faces the exterior of the compound. The windows are essentially just a large rectangle cut out of the block. They have no glass or covering of any sort. Along all of the walls sit bunk beds made of compressed wood with an air mattress sitting on each bunk. All of the beds are cloaked in a mosquito net. They are to remain down at all times, even when you are not in bed. On the wall across from the doorway is a metal cabinet. All things considered, the space was comfortable enough and much better living conditions than most people they passed in route to the compound.

Emily walks to the metal cabinet and opens it to reveal some bed linens and towels. All of the girls start choosing bunks and begin making their beds. Emily walks over to Paige with a stack of sheets in her hands. "Top or bottom," Emily turns to ask Paige. The girls within earshot giggled a little at the double-entendre.

Paige leans in to whisper in Emily's ear. "I think you know, Em," she says with a playful wink.

"I think you think _you_ know," Emily teases back. They both laugh. When it came to their sex life both girls struggled with relinquishing dominance. "I'll take the bottom bunk and you can have the top…in this case," Emily clarifies.

Paige smiles, "By the way, we should pick our bags up offa' the floor and sit them on that metal table over there," she says pointing at a small table by the doorway. "If we leave them down here there's no tell'in what critters we'll find in them later."

Emily smiled. Paige's slight southern drawl and dialect came through every once in a while and she loved it. Often Paige was unaware when she said things like "offa the" instead of "off the." A lot of times words ending in "ing" lost the "g" altogether. And many times her words extended into two syllables even if they are meant to only have one. It was cute in a way that made her Paige.

Both girls finished up making their beds when Paige hopped off the top bunk. "Come on, Emily. It's time to go take a look at the bathroom. Let's go be brave."

Emily hesitantly followed Paige. She set low expectations in her mind so she couldn't possibly be disappointed. Her assumption was fairly accurate. The smell was pretty strong. It was fairly dingy but she could tell they were trying to make it as decent as possible. At least there was a toilet and a shower. The shower ran water that was not safe to drink, but you could still kind of clean off as long as you didn't get the water in your mouth. Difficult, but doable. Some of the other girls followed them; they were standing around taking in their bathroom for the week.

"Ok, I think I've seen enough. Let's go up to the roof for dinner," Emily said to everyone. The girls followed their team captain in agreement.

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It was already dark outside by this time of night. The full moon hanging low in the sky offered just enough light to see by. Battery powered lights were strung above to combat the vast darkness. Working electricity was scarce throughout the city; the compound reserved their power using it sparsely when necessary.

There were tables and chairs set up around the rooftop. Employees from the compound set up a late dinner for them buffet style. Each person grabbed a tin plate and utensils and made their way to the food. There was a large pot of steaming white rice. Next to it was a kettle of stew made of a variety of vegetables, some the girls recognized and some they didn't, and poultry.

Everyone filled up their plates and returned to their tables. Not a single person questioned their hosts with what was in the stew. They happily ate what they were offered. It would be unforgivably rude not to eat what they were given and no one dared turn their noses up at it. To be offered a meal that others surely did not have access to was a luxury and not something the Sharks would take for granted.

After dinner some of the girls hung out on the roof talking about their winter break, what they had done, where they had gone if they traveled. From the rooftop, the vastness of the inky black night was like nothing the girls had ever experienced. Everything was cloaked in darkness. It was calming in a way. Below the roof, outside of the compound, you could hear people talking and laughing as they sat around small fires while they cooked their evening meals. This was virtually the only light you could see by, save for the full moon. It was peaceful and centering in a way. The quiet and stillness of the night brought calm over everyone.

By the time everyone had gone to bed they were looking forward to what lied in store for them in the coming days.

 **A/N: This is going to be a long note but I have to say it so bear with me, please… In my last story I took Emily and Paige around the US, i.e., Atlanta, Nashville, Philadelphia, New York, Estes Park. I wanted to send them somewhere in this story as well, but with them being in high school I'd have to write it differently. So I started thinking about where they've been on the show, and I remembered Emily going to Haiti. *light bulb moment!* I was in Port-au-Prince (for work) one year to the day after the devastating earthquake there. I travel a lot for business and leisure; I kind of hate to admit this because it probably seems horrible, but prior to that trip the closest I had ever first-hand seen economically depressed circumstances was when I got lost in what I deemed the "bad" part of Aruba. And it had nothing on Haiti. I exited the airport on my first day in Port-au-Prince seeing everything through the rose-tinted glasses of someone who had never wanted for anything a day in her life and wondering how these people survived. I entered the airport on my last day in Port-au-Prince sad to leave and thankful to the Haitians I had met for showing me the depth of the human spirit and in some ways, wishing I had the simplicity and zest for life they do. Haiti and the people who live there hold a special place in my heart. So there you have it, you'll get to see a glimpse of Haiti through my eyes via Emily and Paige in the next couple of chapters. I say all of this because I can already tell that it will be nearly impossible (and probably obvious) in this case not to let my own perspective come through, which I don't normally do. Paige and Emily's experiences will be unique to mine to a degree, but what I write for them is based in fact. When I say the heaps of trash are stories high…they are, when I say most of them burn with a thick, choking cloud of black smoke…they do, but most importantly when I say people sit around and laugh, joke, feel gratitude, happiness and spend quality time with loved ones…they do, and no matter what else you see around you it is those things, the human interaction and love, that stand out. Ok y'all, I think I'm done with my soliloquy…**


	20. Chapter 20

**Y'all, I don't remember when I last posted a chapter, which tells me it's been entirely too long. That or it just seems like it, in which case I've been too busy to recognize the relation of time. Either way, cheers to hoping that soon I might achieve some sort of consistency to when I post and it's more often. Until such time, here's chapter 20…**

 **Chapter 20**

All of the girls were awakened the next morning by the sounds of roosters crowing as the first light of dawn made its appearance through the windows and door. It was something most of them had never experienced before. In fact, they thought it was an old wives' tale that roosters do this. It is not. They crow…very loudly. Once the girls' crabbiness wore off, they appreciated the experience for what it was.

Most had fallen asleep late into the night. They were kept up by the sounds of strange insects, dogs barking and people congregating in the streets and the vacant spaces between homes. Emily remembered falling asleep with a smile on her face to the muffled echoes of people laughing and talking outside. Their joviality was contagious, even in sleep. With no barriers on the windows or doorways everything that surrounded their compound could be heard.

The girls all ate a breakfast of toasted homemade bread and bananas before they were scheduled to depart for the Habitat build site. The homemade preserves offered by the employees were delicious.

The view from the rooftop looked very different in the sunlight. It was fairly evident that the Blanchard community was once more of a farming center. At one time this area thrived on the shipment of rice and other staples. As more and more people began to migrate from the limits of Port-au-Prince, the farmland became increasingly dotted with swaths of small homes. Now many of those homes were in pieces, missing walls, and strung together with tarps using scraps of tin shipping containers for roofs. Clotheslines strung from house to house with clothes hung on the lines to dry. Long spires of rebar jutted from the roofs of the cinderblock houses and nearby buildings. Nikki had explained the previous night at dinner that this was a normal sight; as homeowners gained more money or bartered for materials, they would add on to their house when able.

At home, people often congregate around television in the evening. Here, the people living around the compound would meet around a fire pit to eat, stay warm, have time for fellowship and catch up from the day's activities. Now those fires were being used to prepare breakfast as they began for another day.

The girls were finishing up their own breakfast when they heard what sounded like singing coming from the courtyard in their compound. Coach Fulton smiled in excitement as her eyes brightened. She pushed back her chair and stood, "You've got to come see this, girls."

The swimmers followed their coach down the stairs to the second level. They lined the balcony as students from the school filled the courtyard below. They were adorable. All of the boys had on navy shorts and red gingham shirts. The girls had on matching red gingham dresses. They all wore a variety of black shoes. The teachers gathered their students each morning to sing the Haitian national anthem and songs to get them excited and eager to begin the school day. All of the little voices melded together made for a really lovely experience.

Coach Fulton explained that this was always her favorite part of the day no matter what they did after this. She turned to her impressionable swimmers, "Take note of the excitement in these kids' faces and voices, girls. They are happy to be here, happy to have an opportunity for an education. Some of their parents may go without so that they have the money necessary to send their children to school. Remember that. What you take for granted back home and hate getting up early for every day, these kids," she pointed towards the courtyard, "see their education for the opportunities it provides them."

Paige listened as she peaked over the edge of the balcony. One little girl in particular caught Paige's attention. Her hair hung in two braids at the side of her head. While the rest of the kids had matching black loafers or sandals on, this girl had one black loafer with what she imagined was once a white sock and one black sandal. Paige knew instantly that it was all her family had to send her to school in and in order to attend she had to be in complete uniform with black shoes…but they didn't have to match. Paige was a terrible judge of age but if she were pressed to guess, she'd say the girl was around ten years old.

The girl seemed generally curious in nature. Most of the students dutifully stared ahead to their teachers as they sang but not this little girl. She looked around at everything within sight. But it wasn't just that she was _looking around_. She seemed to soak up everything around her like a sponge; everything caught her eye and interest. Paige got the feeling the girl was a lot like her when she was that age and thus was ready to move on to something else more interesting to her.

The girl eventually looked up to the balcony where the Rosewood team stood overlooking the courtyard. Paige caught her eye and waved hello with a smile. The girl discreetly brought her hand up waist high and quickly waved hello with a timid smile back. This girl had dark, soulful eyes. There was an intensity, compassion and intelligence that shone in them. Paige instantly wished she could go down to the courtyard to find out more about the girl and what her name was. Before she had the chance to act on the instinct, the students were ushered into their classrooms for the day. The Rosewood team departed for the build site not long after.

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"You look pretty good using that hammer, Paige," Emily said as she walked up beside Paige. Her girlfriend looked to be having a great time. She was wearing a pair of old jeans that still fit her exceptionally well with a light-blue tank top. The muscles in her forearms, biceps and shoulders glistened with the evidence of hard work each time she brought the hammer down. Emily had a hard time looking away.

Paige wiped the droplets of sweat from her brow as she turned to her girlfriend. "Isn't this great," she said with enthusiasm. "How is it going at the prep station?"

Emily had been assigned to the area that pre-measured and cut the wood that would be used for the frame and roofing. "Not so great. They don't seem to know what to do with me. They don't want me using the power saw and then measuring things, well, you know…"

Paige laughed. "You really need to learn how to read a measuring tape, Em." Emily had confessed this particular lack of knowledge that summer when they were measuring out distance for some field hockey drills so Paige could practice.

Emily threw her hands in the air, "Well, they make it nearly impossible with all of those little lines! If everything was measured in only inches or half inches there would be no problem! Who even cares if something is five and one-fourth inches? What does an extra fourth of an inch get you?"

"You just say that because I'm one and one fourth inches taller than you," Paige teased.

"No, I'm taller than you, McCullers. The only way you'd be taller than me is with heels on."

Sydney walked by just then cradling a stack of lumber in her arms. She rolled her eyes, "Not this again you guys. Listen, you're the same height, OK? Just leave it at that."

Emily changed the subject. "I've heard some of the construction workers say what a big help you've been," she said to Paige. Paige smiled wide at the compliment. "They said you're really fast and accurate when you drive the nails in. I guess most of the time they have to follow along and redo some of the work after volunteers leave but not you. How'd you get so good at this?"

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "I was very much a daddy's girl when I was little. I was practically his shadow; I followed him everywhere around the house. When he was working in his shed or fixing something he would let me 'help out'. All that really meant is that he would give me a spare block of wood with a jar of nails, a hammer and let me pound nails all day long."

"Awe, that's cute, Paige." Emily could vividly see a picture in her mind of little Paige proudly standing next to her dad hitting nails into a block of wood for hours on end. And she probably thought she was a big helper.

Emily and Paige were due for a break and accepted it when Coach Fulton came to relieve them for a bit. They walked along the rows of houses in the Habitat community. The houses that had been completed so far were painted in bright shades of pink, blue, green and yellow. They were made of concrete until about half-way up then the material changed to what looked like plywood. The houses all had one door at the front and back and one window on each wall. In actuality, the houses were no bigger than the living room in Paige's house. Still, they were home; a place where families would be safe and have a roof over their heads. This is where children would play, families would gather for meals, and life would be lived free from the worries and fears that must have been felt since the earthquake. Nikki said for weeks people simply did not go into their homes or any other buildings because they were scared of powerful aftershocks; or worse yet, another earthquake that would reduce more structures to rubble.

The Sharks felt a great sense of accomplishment about helping the wonderful people they had met and were working alongside who would benefit from the work Habitat was doing to aid people in need. To be a part of enabling someone else's independence is a wonderful thing.

Emily and Paige were discussing these points when they walked back up to the build site they had been assigned for the day. Coach Fulton was talking with the mother whose family would be living in this house once it is completed. Paige saw a young girl standing there holding her mother's hand. The girl kept trying to break free from her mother's grasp so she could look around or play with some of the tools lying around. The girl was wearing the same uniform the students at the compound wore from this morning.

As the girls approached, Paige recognized the girl immediately. She was the one Paige couldn't take her eyes off of this morning. What a coincidence that Paige had been working on building her house today. Paige nudged Emily's shoulder. "Em, that's the girl from the courtyard I was telling you about." She tugged Emily's hand to get her walking faster. "Come on, let's go say hi."

Paige said hello to the girls mom then kneeled down to become eye-level with her daughter. "Hi. My name is Paige. What is yours?" Paige hoped the girl spoke English. She was glad when her new friend instantly responded.

"Anne-Marie." She eyed Paige closely. "Do you stay at my school?"

Paige nodded her head. "Yes. My friend Emily," she gestured towards her girlfriend, "and some of our other friends are here for a little while to help build houses. I helped your mommy with your house today."

Anne-Marie's eyes brightened at the mention of her house. "Do you want to see what it looks like so far?" Anne-Marie nodded her head enthusiastically. "Come on then, follow me."

Paige and Emily took Anne-Marie through the house. There wasn't a roof yet but the exterior walls were up. The young girl could at least get some sort of understanding from the structure. She walked over to one of the widows along a side wall and looked out. "I love it," she whispered as she ran her hand along the concrete part of the wall.

"Maybe you can put your bed where you are standing," Emily suggested.

"Oh no," Anne-Marie said with a serious tone to her sweet voice. "This will be the place of my desk. With the shutter open the moon will hit this spot just right. If I have a flashlight too, I'll be able to read, even in the dark."

"You like to read," Paige asked her new friend.

"It is my favorite subject. You go to school?"

"Yes," both Emily and Paige answered together. "We will be going to college next year," Paige added.

"What do you like the most?"

"History," Paige said.

"Literature," Emily answered. "I like to read also," she pointed out.

Anne-Marie thought for a moment. Her expression was hopeful. "Maybe I can go to college some day, too. I will be a teacher."

Paige walked up to Anne-Marie. She kneeled back down to make eye contact. "You can be anything you want to be, Anne-Marie. OK? You just keep trying."

"Yes. OK."

Emily observed while Paige and Anne-Marie talked more. She was touched by the bond Paige and Anne-Marie were forming. Paige was taken with the young girl and it showed. This endeared her girlfriend to her even more.

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That night, after dinner Paige approached Nikki. "Nikki, would it be OK if I tried to use the computer in your office before I go to bed tonight? I told my parents I would try to send them an email this week to check in if I could."

"Sure, Paige that's fine. Just know that the Internet is not reliable. And try not to use the computer too long. We try to use the generator as little as possible."

"Yes, I know. And I promise I'll be quick. I really appreciate this."

Paige sat at the computer patiently waiting for her email's internet site to pop up. After two failed attempts, the third was the charm.

Scanning the contents of her Inbox briefly, she saw a new email from Riley. It was sent early this morning with the subject line, "Hey Sis!" Paige smiled as she opened the email from her twin sister.

 _Hey Sis!_

 _Isn't it cool to say that? I might never call you by your actual name again. :)_

 _So I'm sitting in AP Lit right now. Shhh, don't tell. Mrs. Montgomery keeps eyeing me from her desk, but so far I don't think she's caught on. We're supposed to be writing an essay about Jane Austen. No thanks. I'd rather email you. I do feel a little "rebel without a cause" right now, sneaking my phone out to email you. Cause' that's how I roll, you know?_

 _Hmm, shits gettin' real now. Mrs. Montgomery is up and walking towards me. Don't want her to take my phone. We can't all be excused for a week like SOMEONE I know. :) OK, quickly, I hope you're having a great time! I miss you and we'll see you when you get back stateside!_

 _Riley_

A wide smile adorned Paige's face as she quickly typed out a reply. She enjoyed the way they could tease back and forth.

 _Hey Sista!_

 _If I'm "sis" then you're "sista." But let's make a pact right now never to call each other "sissy."_

 _Oh yeah, that's how you roll alright; doing your thing with zero effs given! Are you sure it wasn't more like "hopeless without a cause" when you emailed me? I will say; I don't miss the homework this week!_

 _So quick update…I met this awesome little girl today named Anne-Marie. There's something about her that just gets me right in the heart. Oh, I got to hammer like ALL DAY LONG! And I kicked ass at it. And it was her house!_

 _I need to run. I have to send an email to my parents before I have to shut down the computer. I'll see you soon! Miss you too._

 _Paige_

Next, Paige began the email to her parents:

 _Hi Mom and Dad!_

 _Bonswa! That's Haitian Creole for "Good Evening!" :) It's nighttime now; I am going to bed soon but wanted to check in first. I don't have long so I need to make this email short. I am doing well and having an amazing experience so far! You can't believe how nice the people are here. They make me feel lighter just from being around them!_

(Paige decided not to tell her parents how bad the conditions are in Haiti; it would only make them worry until she returned. What would it matter if she told them that walking through rubble, trash and toxic puddles of water was a danger? What could they do from Rosewood to prevent Paige from breathing in the black smoke from the piles of trash being burnt and the dirt that hung in the air?)

 _Today was our first build day at the Habit for Humanity site. Dad- I got to hammer all day! Woo hoo! I worked on a house for a little girl named Anne-Marie. You guys, she is the sweetest girl. I want you to do something for me, please. She needs a new pair of black shoes. They can be sandals or loafers, but I guess this time of year at home you'll probably only find loafers. Anne-Marie wears a size two. Find a pair as soon as possible and ship them to Nikki at the compound. Include a note that they are for Anne-Marie. Leave room in the box for some books. She loves to read but doesn't have access to any books. She's read most of the books she has three to four times. I think she is about ten years old. You can take some of my old books or go to the bookstore to buy more. I don't care which you choose, as long as you find some and send them with the shoes as soon as you can. I know I'll be home by the time they arrive, but at least I'll know Anne-Marie will have a few things she needs. It will mean a lot to me for you to do this. Anne-Marie can't go to school without black shoes and right now she's wearing a mismatched set and it causes her to walk uneven. That can't be good for her. Thanks for doing this. I love you both very much. I'll see you real soon._

 _Love you!_

 _Paige_

Paige sent the email with the comfort that her parents would not hesitate to send what she asked for. She'll offer to pay them back when she gets home, she decided. Paige wanted this gift to Anne-Marie to come directly from her. There is no way the package will arrive while Paige is here. She won't get to see Anne-Marie's face when she opens the box. She won't get to see the new shoes as Anne-Maire wears them to school. She won't get to talk to Anne-Marie about the new books and what they are about. But it's not about Paige; it's about Anne-Marie and the simplicity of a proper pair of shoes to keep her feet protected and allows her to attend school; it's about providing books that are more than just words printed on a page, the books are an open door to furthering her education and knowledge of life's possibilities. After this week, Paige may never know what happens to Anne-Marie. She may be a teacher one day and Paige hopes that if that is Anne-Marie's wish, that she attains it. Paige has felt a connection to Anne-Marie since she saw her in the courtyard. They were meant to cross paths again today. If this is the reason; all Paige really needs to know is that she was able to do one small thing to help the new young friend she has found in Anne-Marie.

Paige is thinking about all of this when she hears someone in the doorway behind her. Probably, it's Nikki coming to tell her she needed to go ahead and shut down the computer now.

She was pleasantly surprised when she turned to see Emily standing in the doorway. Emily smiled at her with her head leaning against the doorframe. "Nikki told me you were in here emailing your parents."

Paige swiveled in the chair to fully face her girlfriend. "I just hit send when I heard someone behind me." Paige curled her pointer finger in the "come here" gesture. "I'm glad it was you."

Emily sat across Paige's lap and kissed her sweetly. Emily had seen new sides of her girlfriend today. Most notably how good she was with Anne-Marie and how much meeting her seemed to impact Paige. It warmed her heart. "Did you tell them about Anne-Marie?"

Paige rested her chin on Emily's shoulder and nodded her head yes. Each time she exhaled Emily felt the puff of warm air against her neck. It nearly gave her a shiver each time. "Anne-Marie seems like a very sweet girl. You're really taken with her, aren't you?"

Paige nodded her head again. "I don't know what it is, Em. From the moment I saw her in the courtyard this morning and her eyes met mine, I felt some sort of likeness to her. I saw so much of myself in her in some ways. And then we come from such different backgrounds; we were born in totally different parts of the world but she and I, I can tell we're not so different."

This time Emily nodded her head as she processed what Paige had said. "I've thought a lot about that today while I was aimlessly looking for ways to be helpful."

"In ways that _didn't_ involve a measuring tape," Paige teased with a nudge of her shoulder.

Emily rolled her eyes. "Yes, in ways that _didn't_ involve a measuring tape…anyway. Being here really makes you think about how vast the world is, doesn't it? Back home we go about our days in our own little world worrying about that Calc test, or relay times, while here- kids like Anne-Marie worry about walls falling on them."

She bristled at the very real image thinking about the rubble that lined every street. Their group had learned from Nikki that some of the destruction to homes and buildings had more to do with corruption than it did the power of the earthquake. Sure, the quake was powerful, but with lack of tight controls on building regulations and corruption within some of the more affordable home builders, the houses were built like nothing more than sand castles waiting to come down with the tide. It turns out, most of the concrete structures and cinderblocks were made with a mixture that consisted mostly of sand. They didn't stand a chance against a raging 7.0 magnitude earthquake.

"I know, right? People like us and our kids probably won't ever have to worry about stuff like that."

Emily looked into Paige's eyes. " _Our_ kids, you say?" She emphasized the "our" that Paige had just said.

"Not…I mean…I didn't mean _our,_ " Paige pointed between she and her girlfriend who was wearing a chesire cat grin, "kids. I just meant kids…like my kids and your kids."

"So you're saying you could never picture having kids with me?" Emily was having a little fun with this.

"Nooo, not as in I couldn't see having kids with you." Paige looked down to the floor. "No, as in I didn't say that...that's not what I meant."

"Then you _do_ want to have kids with me?" Emily winked.

Paige held her hands up in a "T" for timeout. "I know what you're doing," she said, waggling her finger at Emily. She turned more serious and squeezed Emily tightly to her. "Would it scare you if I ever said I could imagine what a future with you would be like, I mean after college and stuff?"

Emily kissed Paige soundly. "No, Paige, it wouldn't. I have a pretty good imagination myself."

 **A/N: Some of you reading this story may have never read my previous one before this,** _ **Show Me Love.**_ **It's actually my favorite I've written so far, if it doesn't sound conceited me saying that. :) Anyway, I'm headed to Atlanta for a long weekend for my family's annual meet up at the lake, and it's got me remembering the drive home from there, exactly a year ago, when I came up with the plot for** _ **Show Me Love**_ **as I drove. Who knows…maybe inspiration will strike twice, and I'll have a new story brewing when I return home!**

 **subway20- I realized after I read your review that I missed Riley, too. I added the email exchange between her and Paige for us. :)**


	21. Chapter 21

**I'm flashing back (by one day) in italics.**

 **Chapter 21**

The teams last day in Haiti was scheduled to take them out of Port-au-Prince for the full day. This was the reason they were told to pack a swimsuit. It wasn't so they could get in some practice. Once they got to Port-au-Prince that was obvious. There wasn't a droplet of water that was safe to be in, around, touch or drink.

The drive to Indigo Beach in Artibonite, Haiti would take close to two hours. Paige wasn't sure why they were spending the whole day there. They weren't here to vacation. They were here to build homes. Something about knowing they were on their way to play in the sun for a day on the beach bothered Paige. Perhaps it was because yesterday served as another stark reality of people's lives in Port-au-Prince.

 _The previous day…_

 _The Rosewood teens had to take time off from the Habitat build site for the last half of the day. Crews would be attaching rafters and putting roofs up today. The girls weren't permitted to take part in those duties for risk of injury._

 _Instead, the team spent the afternoon in Cite Soliel. They had brought toys and games with them to play with kids from a local orphanage. The kids would be brought to a safe, gated complex at one of the sponsored compounds in the area._

 _To say that Cite Soliel was an eye-opener would be a drastic understatement. Nikki shared with the girls that Cite Soliel is the poorest slum in the western hemisphere. Over 500,000 people live within 2 miles. And you could almost see them all._

 _Cite Soliel was also known as "the tent city." That's all it was for as far as the eye could see. Row after row, with no space between, of "homes" stitched together with rickety sticks and tarps and scrap, rusty metal. To be honest, your first reaction was to turn and look away. Not to bear witness to the people staring back at you as you ride along in a bus while they stand in a seemingly forgotten wasteland. It was uncomfortable to witness living conditions like this. But the girls forced themselves to see the reality. If everyone looked away there would never been any change._

 _Emily looked out of her window and gestured for Paige to look as well. There was an older man sitting on a pile of rubble in bare feet, hitting a piece of rebar into a cinderblock with a rusty piece of scrap metal. They didn't even have the proper clothes or tools needed to rebuild. Anyone else might feel these attempts to be futile. But not here. No, in Haiti, you use what you can and you make progress day-by-day, hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute, second-by-second. And you do it with gratitude. Imagine if that scrap piece of metal hadn't been there to take the place of a hammer? Then what? The scrap metal was a blessing in disguise._

 _The bus parked in front of what looked like a community center in the compound. There were locked gates at each entrance. The windows had bars on them. It was evident that security was more of an issue here than it was at Blanchard. The front of the large space was wide open. From the middle half and back, sat row after row of white bench seats. There was no roof on the structure at all. If not for the trees that surrounded the building, the sun would bear down all day long. Luckily at this time of day shade was plentiful._

 _The girls unpacked all of the boxes they brought along. They were full of games, toys, every kind of ball imaginable, jump ropes, coloring books and so on. When the kids arrived there was most likely to be mass chaos with children laughing, running, screeching everywhere. The Rosewood teens welcomed it whole-heartedly._

 _Mr. Jean Durand from the orphanage led his group of children into the large open-air building. All of the kids walked in single-file and eyed the Sharks swim team with curiosity. Most of the kids tried to get a look at what was in the boxes and on the benches and tables. The smiles that graced their innocent faces let the girls know they had brought the right kind of play items._

 _Jean looked like a very nice man. When he smiled, his eyes lit up. Jean greeted Coach Fulton like an old friend. Probably at this point he was. Coach had been bringing her teams to Haiti for the past several years. Each time they came to Cite Soliel to visit with the orphaned children._

 _Coach Fulton gathered up the team to go over a few things with them before she let her swimmers breakout with the kids. "Now ladies, I don't have to remind you to behave, right? We don't need the kids running around like crazy people just because you've gotten them worked up."_

 _Every head swiveled towards Paige. "What?" She rolled her eyes. "OK, y'all…"_

 _Within fifteen minutes everyone was spread throughout the large space and having a great time. Emily was towards one corner with some of her teammates kicking a soccer ball back and forth with several of the older kids. Paige was running around doing something that caused a lot of shouting and laughter. Before long what she was up to became clear. Bright cords of silly string in neon colors flew through the air._

 _Coach Fulton looked over to Sydney who was coloring with a small boy and girl at a bench nearby. "Is that silly string? Did she bring that?"_

 _Sydney laughed. "You really have to ask, Coach?" Sydney then stood up. "You're cleaning that up, Paige! I'm not sweeping up your mess!" Paige just looked over at her with a big smile on her face. She couldn't have cared less._

 _Just then, Emily ran by in a flash. She had neon blue silly string hanging from her hair. "Not you too, Fields," Coach Fulton groaned._

 _Emily laughed as she blazed by. She shouted back, calling out over her shoulder, "If you can't beat'em, join'em, Coach!"_

 _Coach Fulton rolled her eyes. "Those two," she murmured to herself._

 _xxxxxxxxxxx_

 _That night the girls were treated with a drive up into Petitionville. It was an affluent suburb of Port-au-Prince. This is where most anyone with a modest- to higher- level of wealth lives. How they came to that money was any number of ways. They could be foreign business executives, government officials or they could have inherited the wealth from their families who had once thrived during open trade to and from the island country._

 _Driving up the hills out of Port-au-Prince was like escaping to another world. Colorful houses and villas dotted the hills as they ascended. Here the streets were paved. Trash and debris was not nearly as prevalent. Electricity hummed along the wires that carried life into the homes and businesses. People walked along the streets in clean clothes, some of which even appeared designer. The ethnic makeup of people coming and going was diverse. The air was much, much more clean. The girls could take deep breaths without choking._

 _A light fog hung in the air the higher the bus climbed. At one point the bus stopped at a local shopping area to let the girls out. They had all brought cash with them as instructed and some of the girls were eager to buy souvenirs._

 _Emily bought a couple handmade bracelets in bright colors and designs. The woman making them had two of her three daughters with her that day to help out. Her husband left for a job opportunity some years before that. She since taught herself how to make jewelry and now supports her and her daughters._

 _Paige bought a painting from a man who had a stand on the side of the road. It had variations of brown, burnt orange, grass green, bronze and yellow. In the middle was a sun. Surrounding the sun on all four sides were reptiles found on the island: four snakes and two lizards. It was really very pretty. And he'd painted all of it with his hands and fingers. He used no brushes at all. Before she left his stand, she had the artist remove the canvas from the slight wooden frame he'd tacked it to. It would be much easier to transport home this way._

 _Before they drove back down to the compound in Port-au-Prince, the team stopped for dinner at a well-known pizza place. Their waitress, Nadine, stopped by to take their drink orders. When it was Paige's turn to order she looked up, "What kinda Coke have y'all got?"_

 _Nadine looked confused. "Regular," she said it like a question; like she wasn't sure herself._

" _What kinda regular Coke though?"_

" _A bottle," again said more like a question._

" _Yeah but-"_

 _Emily placed her hand over Paige's to stop her from going further. "Nadine, she'll have Sprite if you have it."_

 _Nadine looked over to Paige for confirmation. Paige nodded her head yes._

 _Emily turned to Paige when Nadine left the table. "Honey, when are you going to learn that Coke is Coke, Sprite is Sprite, Root Beer is Root Beer…it's not all Coke. You confuse everyone."_

 _Paige pouted. "It's not my fault y'all don't know. Probly you're just doing this to tease me."_

 _Emily shrugged her shoulders and nodded the affirmative. "Prob-ab-ly." Emily made sure to enunciate the syllables Paige had left out. It's ironic because most things Paige says stretches to far more syllables than the word is supposed to have, and other times syllables are completely left out._

 _Paige threw her hands up in the air laughing while her teammates joined in._

 _To say the girls ravaged everything in front of them would be pretty accurate. They decimated every pan of pizza that was sat on the table. They swore they'd never had pizza that tasted so good. Either that or they were simply craving food that reminded them of home._

 _One of the purple flowers that hung from a trellis suspended above their table fell and floated down into Emily's lap. She plucked it up and made an exaggerated show of the flower to Paige. Nikki had told the girls at her table while they waited for their food about the tradition of the fragrant purple flowers. If one of them falls down to you, you have been blessed. The person then seated to your right gets to kiss you. Paige, of course, was seated to Emily's right._

 _Paige looked to Emily and smiled lovingly. She's all too happy to kiss her beautiful girlfriend. Emily smiled and pointed to her cheek near her prominent dimple. Paige leaned in to place a soft, lingering kiss there._

" _Bless you," Paige said as she pulled back. Nikki had not said anything about Paige needing to say that, but it felt right to Paige at the time. Paige then took the flower from Emily, tucked her hair behind her girlfriend's ear, and placed the purple flower there. It looked like it belonged there as a decoration in her long, dark waves._

" _Thanks," Emily said as she gently traced her fingers down Paige's arm and met her hand under the table. They both felt very fortunate to share this experience together._

 _Sydney reached for the rolled up canvas Paige had sitting near her chair. "Can I see the painting you bought today?"_

 _Paige handed it over for Sydney and the girls seated near her to look at. She already knew where she was going to hang it in her bedroom. First though, she'd have to pay for a frame shop to stretch it for her._

" _Are those snakes," asked Brooke, one of the distance swimmers for the Sharks. She was pointing down at the painting with her nose crinkled in what must have been unease._

" _Yeah, I think they are," Paige answered. "It's like an island thing."_

 _Sydney dropped the painting. "Oh my God! This is a voodoo painting!"_

 _Paige grabbed the canvas and looked. "What? What do you mean?" Her eyes were wide in panic._

" _Snakes, Paige. You know, like in voodoo…" Sydney said ominously._

"… _and witchdoctors and headshrinkers and evil spirits…" Brooke chimed in with a grim look on her face, her voice an octave lower._

 _Paige swallowed audibly. Sweat broke out on the back of her neck. She likes her head the size it is. All of her hats fit perfect._

" _You better sleep with one eye open, Paige. In fact, maybe you ought to sleep in a different room…by yourself. I don't want that bad," Sydney waved her hands around Paige, "aura rubbing off on me."_

 _This was like Paige's worst fear from horror films come to life. She was about to become the next Blair Witch Project. Shit! Damn $40 voodoo painting. She'd even paid extra just because the liked the artist._

 _Paige looked to Nikki, her eyes pleading for help. Maybe she could burn some kind of bush or grass or something and run around in a circle. Then things would be OK._

 _Nikki couldn't contain her laughter anymore. "They're just teasing you, Paige. The painting is fine."_

" _We got you," the rest of the Sharks said pointing and laughing._

" _I think y'all are gonna be the one's sleepin' with one eye open now," Paige said sarcastically. She turned back to Nikki. "But are the snakes really voodoo?"_

 _Nikki shrugged her shoulders. "I can't say why the artist chose to put snakes on here. It may just be because he likes snakes. I can tell you that voodoo is the most widely practiced religion on the island and yes, snakes are part of it." Paige's eyes went wide. Nikki quickly added reassurance, "But they aren't a bad thing…snakes are revered…it's a good thing to have them on your painting."_

" _If you say so…" Paige planned to do some research when she got home, that's for sure._

 _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_

 _That night the girls went to bed in a pizza/carb daze with their bellies full and their spirits high. Going up to Petitionville was the right call to make. If they'd have come back to the compound after Cite Soliel that's all they'd have thought about as they tried to sleep. And most likely, they wouldn't have slept a wink._

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Present day….

It only took the bus full of Rosewood teens two and a half hours to make it to Indigo Beach in Artibonite. As they pulled into the parking lot, a large sign welcomed them to Club Indigo. Apparently this resort used to be a Club Med back when the island was in its heyday. Now it serves as a resort for vacationers who wanted to experience Haiti but wouldn't dare venture into Port-au-Prince. Club Indigo is one of the many beach resorts that dot the coast of Haiti. Some of the others are ports of call for cruise lines. In fact, hundreds of thousands of visitors vacation in the country every year.

Looking around, you'd never know that only two hours away, a population of over three million people is struggling to make it from day-to-day. If Club Indigo is any indication, tourism is alive and well in Haiti. And really, why wouldn't it be? It's a beautiful country full of amazing, proud people. If you come once, you're definitely coming back.

As Paige looked around, she started to understand why they were here today. This is their day to spend time together and come down from the trip. The girls experienced a lot this week. They saw a lot, too; a lot that opened the doors of the world to them. But they were going back to Rosewood tomorrow, back to a life that was very different than what they had encountered here. A day spent in an environment they were more accustomed to would be good right now. A way to ease them back in so-to-speak.

The pool was crystal clear. In the heat of the day this was very appealing. Chaise lounges were spread out evenly around the perimeter. A bright tile walkway led visitors to and from the pool and the hotel lobby. The girls scoped out the digs before deciding where they all wanted to go. Walking out towards the beach, they were greeted by an ocean that was a shade of greenish blue some of them had never seen before. If they'd been looking at a picture of this beach, they'd have sworn the color was Photoshopped. Nothing could be this pure, this beautiful.

Paige saw the kayak rental booth right away. She convinced Emily to go for a ride with her. They'd each get a single kayak for 30 minutes for only $10. $10! Back home something like this on the beach would probably be $75 easy.

The girls got in their kayaks, held steady in the shallow water by rental assistants. The only restriction they had was the mandatory life vests that had to be worn at all times. Otherwise, they could paddle out as far as they felt safe.

They lazily paddled around for a while taking in the scene of the beach from about 30 yards out from shore. There were quite a lot of people here, actually. Some of them sat out in the sun soaking up the UV rays while working on their tans. Others sat on lounges under thatch-roofed cabanas.

Both girls had their feet propped up, their oar across their laps, their heads tilted back, eyes closed and soaking up the sun.

"This is pretty great, right?" Paige said.

"This is awesome," Emily agreed, breathing in deep and exhaling slowly.

"I'd love to come back here some day. Maybe I could even visit with Anne-Marie. See how she's doing."

"That sounds nice, Paige. You should."

"Would you come back with me? I mean, if we're still together then."

Their off-track discussion the other night about futures and kids and stuff hung in the balance between them. Sure it was lighthearted but wasn't there some truth to it? Really, neither girl had a clue what the future held for them as individuals or as a couple. The end of the school year would be here before they knew it. What then?

Emily sat up in her kayak and looked over to Paige. "I'd go anywhere you asked me to. Any time. Any circumstance. Always." She removed her sunglasses so Paige could see the truth in her eyes.

Paige smiled and did that little head dip she always used to do when she first met Emily and was still somewhat flustered by her. "Good, that's good."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

When their 30 minutes was up, Paige and Emily joined most of the rest of their team in the pool. They hopped in to a winner takes all game of chicken in the shallow end. Of course, neither Paige nor Emily wanted to be on the bottom. They wanted to be on the top, on the shoulders duking it out with their opponents.

Paige ended up winning the coveted position with her contention that as a field hockey player, she has more control of her arms. Emily didn't see the validity of the case but she was tired of talking about it.

Besides, it's not like having her head between Paige's thighs was new to Emily. It's a position she rather likes…very much. In fact, when Paige got up on Emily's shoulders for the first battle, Emily discreetly kissed the inside of Paige's left inner-thigh and licked an escaping water droplet as it cascaded downward when no one was looking. Paige nearly fell off at the jolt of arousal. Emily craned her head up to smirk at Paige. Her look conveyed the obvious, "Playas gonna play." She's going to pass up that opportunity? No.

Their circumstantial abstinence was apparently rough on both girls. Private time back in Rosewood could not come fast enough. No pun intended.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Everyone fell asleep pretty quickly that night. The girls would miss the sounds that surrounded them in the stillness of Haiti at night. It would be strange not to hear people talking, belly laughs bouncing around half crumbling walls, cows mooing, dogs barking. And yes, they'd even miss waking up to the sound of roosters crowing.

The walk back into the terminal at PAP was a somber one. As much as they were looking forward to going home, they also didn't want to leave.

In many ways, this was a life-changing experience. A once-in-a-lifetime experience too. Never again would they come as a team to this country to help build homes for families like Anne-Marie's. The bonds they forged in a country thousands of miles away from their own would propel them through the remainder of the season.

Paige was pretty quiet for the majority of the flight back to Miami. She and Emily were once again seated next to each other.

"What are you thinking about," Emily asked. She leaned her head against her girlfriends shoulder.

"You know that questionnaire we had to fill out before the trip? I was stuck on that one question when we were at your house."

"The one about what you hoped to gain from the experience?"

"Yeah, that one."

"What about it?"

"Well I never really did answer it," Paige admitted. "I kinda left it blank, and I wish now that I had been more open to the question. I could answer it without hesitation now."

Emily rested her hand gently on top of Paige's on the armrest between them. "You can tell me. What did you gain from the experience in Haiti?"

Paige's face brightened with a wide smile. "In one word: perspective. In another: gratitude. Humility, maybe too." Paige took a deep breath. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I've had a kinda shitty year so far."

Emily laughed. "It has been something, that's for sure."

"For months all I've thought about in the back of my mind is, 'why me?' 'How could this happen to me of all people?' I've gotten down on myself, my friends and my family. But really, how bad is my life? It isn't bad at all, in fact. It's good. I'm happy. I have great parents who love me and I love back. I have a fun group of friends who accept me for me. I have a sister." Paige cupped Emily's cheek and kissed her softly on the lips. "I have a beautiful girlfriend who I love with all my heart. I'm fortunate."

Emily squeezed Paige's hand. "I think we all are."

"Yeah, most of us are. But you know what? The people we just left, the Haitians, they are fortunate too. And the thing is…they know it, more so than any of the rest of us…and I think that's what makes them so great. My spirit feels lighter having been there."

"Me, too," Emily agreed. "I will never, ever forget this."

None of them would. None of the girls wanted to forget a single moment. A single person they met. And especially for Paige, she'd never forget Anne-Marie.

 **A/N: thecatfromaliceinwoderland- I liked your voodoo idea. I have the exact painting that I wrote Paige buying up in Petitionville. It hangs in my office. Honestly, when I started writing that scene it was for fun, until I thought, "Oh shit. Wait, what if it really is bad?" So I looked it up. Nope. Snakes=good. Whew!**

 **Well this is the last chapter of the Haiti trip. I really enjoyed writing it. Hopefully I didn't go overboard with it.**

 **We're back in Rosewood next chapter.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Emily sat in the library during her free period trying to concentrate on her Chemistry homework. She had been stuck on the same page for a half hour now. Every time she tried to focus on the periodic table, her mind veered towards Paige. In fact, she kept seeing the symbols blur together to form her girlfriends name. Protactinium, Iodine and Germanium…Pa-I-Ge. The symbols were separated by many other elements but in her mind's eye, they fused together mimicking her near constant thoughts of Paige.

She hadn't even noticed when Riley sat down next to her and removed her own books from her bag. It wasn't until her friend shook her shoulder that Emily looked up to her.

"Huh," Emily said in somewhat of a daze.

Riley chuckled. "I've said hello to you three times now."

"Oh, sorry," Emily said, looking back down to her book. She stared at the page again.

Something was off with Emily. Riley could see it her friend's body language and hear it in her voice. "Em, are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Trying to get my Chemistry homework done before this weekend."

"Oh, that's right. You and Paige are sneaking off to the Love Shack." Their group of friends had been joking calling her and Spencer's nana's lake house the "love shack" for quite a while now. That's all it seemed the place got used for any more. "Making up for lost time now that you're back from Haiti, huh?"

Emily nodded her head but gave no verbal response. Yep, something was definitely off.

"Did you and Paige have a fight or something? Are you not looking forward to this weekend?"

Emily heaved a sigh outward from her lungs. Unfortunately, it did nothing to expel any of the anxiety she was feeling. "No, Paige and I did not get into a fight." She closed her Chemistry book. Attempting to study in this state was futile.

"Care to share then? I know something is up with you so don't deny it." Riley would get Emily to talk whether she wanted to or not. She could tell her friend needed to work something out and sitting here brooding was not helping.

"Paige and I got into some interesting conversations while we were in Haiti," Emily eventually said.

"Like…?"

"Like if we'd ever want kids and going back to Haiti together some day….if we are still _'together'_ that is."

"Oh…wow. OK. And you're freaked out now?" Riley wondered if Emily was freaked out about them already talking hypothetically about long term relationship topics or freaked out about the question mark of being together still.

"Yeah. I'm freaked out now."

"Just so we're clear here; what is it exactly that has you freaking out about these conversations with Paige?"

"Well, we talked about stuff as if we would still be together. But what if we aren't?" Emily nearly shook as she said the words out loud.

"You do want to be with Paige, right?"

Emily looked directly into Riley's understanding eyes. "Yes, I do. I want what we have to last. I want it to grow. I want us to grow together. Do I sound stupid and naïve for thinking it could happen? For hoping that it could? We're young."

Riley smiled at her friend. Mushy topics of love and sincerity weren't necessarily her strong points, but she'd lend an ear and some advice if it could possibly help. "No, Em. You don't sound stupid or naïve. You sound like you're in love with my sister."

Emily smiled. For sure; she's more in love with Paige than she ever knew was humanly possible. And that is exactly why she is so scared. What if things didn't work out between them?

"We are," Emily said with the smile still on her face. "But…but things might change, you know? I don't even know where I'll be this time next year."

Ah ha! "And you don't know where Paige will be." It wasn't a question. It was a fact. None of them knew where they'd be next year. Their entire group could be spread across the country…or world. Riley and Paige, after just having found each other, could also be separated by distance.

Emily rubbed her palms over her face. "Right," she mumbled behind them.

Riley now knew it wasn't just the conversations with Paige that had Emily's hackles up. The previous week the Sharks had hosted an important swim tournament. Scouts from universities all over the place came to observe possible recruits. Emily and Paige were of course approached by many of the schools represented. Some were the same. Some were not.

"Who approached you last week," Riley asked.

"UPENN, Danby, Arizona and Penn State."

"Who approached Paige?"

"UPENN, Stanford, and Ohio State." The notion that they'd both attend the same school next year seemed bleak.

"OK then. So you both go to UPENN and swim together in a daze of happiness," Riley said with a shrug of her shoulders. As if her saying so would make it come true.

Emily shook her head. "UPENN is talking partial scholarship for me. Full for Paige. If one of the other's offers a full ride to me I'll have to take it. I can't afford not to." It'd be a miracle for the same university to offer a full ride to swimmers from the same school.

"Which one of them is leaning that way?"

"Penn State." The thought excited and depressed her. She could potentially live three and a half hours or more from Paige starting in the fall. On the surface, that doesn't sound too bad, but for athletes in two different Division 1 sports, their spare time was going to be almost non-existent. They'd never see each other. That was the depressing part.

"You know Paige had scouts approach her for field hockey, right?"

Emily shook her head no. Part of field hockey season was during their forced "we can only be friends" time. She was not aware that Paige had been scouted for field hockey. "What's your point?"

Riley beamed. She felt the power of an all-knowing oracle. "My _point_ is; you and Paige may be in the same place after all if it plays out like that."

"How do you figure that?"

Riley crossed her arms on the table in front of her. "Because I happen to know that Penn State is interested in Paige for a scholarship in field hockey." She said it nonchalantly, like it was no big deal. For Emily, what she thought she heard Riley just reveal was a lifeline.

Emily sat up straighter. This conversation just turned a very positive corner. "What are you talking about? Are you serious?"

"I'm very serious. They talked to me, too. The scout talked to us both at the same time. That's how I know."

"Oh my god…" Emily prayed this was a silver lining. Perhaps her fears and concerns are for nothing.

"Have you and Paige not talked about any of this?"

"No, we really haven't. I guess we've been living in the here and now." _Like most teenagers_ she thought to herself. "It wasn't until Haiti that the hypothetical topics were even mentioned. Graduation seemed so far off, but I guess it's not. Not really."

"I think you should talk to Paige about it sooner rather than later. Maybe this weekend between your, ahem, _other_ activities."

Emily decided that yes, she would talk to Paige this weekend. In the comfort of that knowledge, she opened her Chemistry book to the page she'd been stuck on before Riley showed up. One way or another, she'd have an idea of what path they could potentially be on come the fall.

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So far the Love Shack was not living up to its name. Friday night passed Emily and Paige by with no action steps taken on either girl's part. After a full week of classes, homework and swim practice every day after school, both girls crashed not long after their late dinner that evening.

A few days earlier, Rosewood and the surrounding area had been punched with a fairly decent snow storm. Paige had not been used to the amount snow they'd seen this winter. She also couldn't get used to how easily the people around here adjusted to it. In the south, where she'd lived before, school would have been shut down for days. Not here. Here you slug it on to wherever it is that you have to go without hesitation. And the roads were cleared quickly. Lucky for them that was the case. Otherwise their weekend plans would have been cancelled.

Emily and Paige spent quite a bit of time that morning building a snowman, having a playful snowball fight, which quickly turned into snow wrestling, which promptly resulted in where they are now: in front of the fire trying to warm up.

The girls changed into warm, dry clothes as they shivered and their teeth nearly chattered in unison. "N-n-not such a h-h-hot s-shot n-n-n-now are you?" Emily asked Paige as they rifled through their luggage.

Paige chucked as many logs as she deemed safe on the fire in the living room and threw all of the throw pillows she could find and a few blankets on the floor near the hearth.

They had finally warmed back up and were now lounging comfortably in front of the flickering, orange glow from the flames. Emily was on her back, her head resting on a stack of pillows. Paige lay on her side, her head resting on Emily's abdomen. Emily ran her fingers through Paige's slightly damp hair. At some point in the wrestling match outside, her hat had come off in the snow. Either that or their snowman was wearing it. He had on Emily's scarf too.

Paige lifted her cheek from Emily's stomach. She scratched at the area that had made contact with Emily's warm wool sweater. "I don't know how you can stand to wear that thing. It's all itchy."

Emily bent her chin down towards her chest to get a look at Paige. She pulled at the hem of her sweater. "This? No, it's warm. Besides, I have a shirt on under it."

Paige grinned. "Well in that case…" and in one swift movement she had somehow relieved Emily of the sweater.

She leaned over her girlfriend, placed her hand behind Emily's neck and pulled their lips together. The temperature of the fire and their proximity to it resulted in their lips being warm. The heat and comfort of Emily's body against hers reminded Paige of taking a blanket fresh out of the dyer, wrapping yourself in it and burying your face into the plush fabric. It warms you from the outside in.

Paige moaned into the kiss as she tried to heat things up…in a way that had nothing to do with temperature. But Emily wasn't being nearly as reciprocal as she normally would be. In fact, to Paige it seemed like Emily was just sort of going through the motions.

Paige pushed herself off of Emily and sat up. "Are you ok, Em? Do you not want to…?" She trailed off knowing Emily would fill in the blank.

Emily sat up too and brushed her hair back as she chastised herself inwardly. Of course Paige probably thought she'd done something wrong. Which she had not. "No. I mean, yes, I want to. And I guess…no, I'm not ok. I've had a lot on my mind." _Now is as good a time as ever to have that talk._

"What's going on," Paige asked with concern in her voice.

Emily wasn't sure how to begin. "Did you know that your name can be spelled from the symbols of the elements on the periodic table?"

Well, that wasn't anywhere close to what Paige had been expecting to hear. "Say what now?"

Emily nodded her head. "It's true. I discovered that working on our Chemistry homework. _Trying_ to work on it anyway. All I could think about was us. And you. Everything I think about lately seems to come back to you…even the periodic table. That sounds stupid, I know," Emily said as her cheeks blushed.

"You mean it sounds kinda element-ary?" Paige laughed out loud at the pun. She held her hand up for a high-five. "Come on…that was a good one!" When Emily didn't respond with the fiver, Paige grabbed her hand and clapped it to hers.

Seeing that her girlfriend had not perked up after that, she got serious. "Em, it's ok to think about me. I think about you all the time, too. That's not a bad thing. What's brought this on?"

Emily bit at the corner of her bottom lip. "You remember when we were in Haiti? We talked about the whole kid's thing and me going back there with you sometime if we're still together." Paige nodded her head as Emily spoke. "I know we were talking loosely about the future, but I can't help but think about it now. We graduate in like four months."

"Yeah, then we have our whole lives ahead of us, Em." Paige didn't see this as a bad thing.

Emily looked down to the fingers she twisted in her lap. "But what if our lives head down different paths when we graduate? Most likely one or both of us is going to be offered scholarships that we cannot turn down. And you know as well as I do that they probably won't be to the same school."

"Maybe that's true." Emily's eyes widened in surprise and fear. She'd hoped that Paige would raise her spirits.

Paige wasn't finished yet. She reached for Emily's hands, stilling their nervous motion in her lap. "But I also know as well as you do that you and I belong together." She squeezed Emily's hands in hers. "When I think of my future it is tied to yours. Every path I take will always lead to you."

A tear escaped down Emily's cheek before she could stop it. She leaned her forehead against Paige's. "You're right. I know you're right. I believe that and I believe in us." She sniffed a little as the emotion she'd been holding back tried to break free. "I don't want to be far from you for four years. That's a long time."

Paige leaned her head down to gently kiss Emily. "Let's make a plan. We can work this out. I know we can."

The two girls spent the next hour talking out their options. The most appealing to both of them was to end up at the same university. For that to happen they'd both need to accept a scholarship mostly likely from Penn State. If those offers came through, they decided to accept. They'd spend the next four years living in State College together. Now was the waiting game to see how everything would play out. Regardless, they knew they wanted to stay together through whatever came their way.

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The fire had died down some by the time they were done talking everything out. Now they were enjoying a more light-hearted conversation about how to decorate their dorm room freshman year. "I'm picturing neon pink and zebra print everywhere," Paige teased. Emily swatted her leg. "What, you can't see it?"

Emily laughed. "Honestly, I don't care what the room looks like as long as the beds are pushed together."

"I think we can arrange that."

Emily pushed Paige onto her back. She kissed a trail from Paige's mouth to her ear. "Good, because I plan on spending a lot of time with you twisted in those sheets," she purred.

Before Paige could come back with an equally as seductive retort, Emily covered her mouth in a needy kiss.

Sometimes a kiss can be so powerful; it makes the strong weak and the weak strong. This kiss turned Paige to jelly. It emboldened Emily. The moan that she swallowed from Paige's mouth kick started her desire into overdrive.

Emily's hands made quick work of the removal of their clothes. She swept all of the unused pillows away as she hovered over Paige, keeping their mouths connected. When her body settled on top of Paige's, it was like two puzzle pieces slotting together perfectly.

Emily slid her chest against Paige's, brushing their nipples together in the process. As she did, she rocked her pelvis into Paige's slowly and with just the right amount of pressure. The duality of the sensations ran a shiver up from each girl's toes to the tips of their heads.

Paige wrapped her legs around Emily's hips keeping her there. She eased up just enough to allow Emily the space to raise her hips before bringing them back down to connect with Paige again. She did this repeatedly until Paige's hips were moving in time with her own.

They were both breathing hard now. The heat from the fire that had warmed them up earlier now caused a slight sweat to coat the skin where their bodies were molded together. Emily leaned her head forward to suck Paige's breast into her mouth. The taste buds on her tongue detected a trace of saltiness as it swirled around her girlfriend's eager nipple.

"Emily…" Paige felt like she could explode from the way Emily was playing with her body. Her hands palmed and squeezed Emily's flesh from the backs of her strong thighs up to her shoulder blades. If she could have absorbed Emily into her she would have done.

Knowing that Paige wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, Emily lowered herself towards the object of her attention. She left a trail of open-mouthed kisses down the center of Paige's body in her wake.

Her hands lightly massaged Paige's hip bones as she settled between Paige's legs. Emily bent both of Paige's legs at the knees, reached under her thighs, hooked her arms around her legs, and pulled Paige to her mouth.

One of Paige's hands instantly clutched at the rug they were laying on. The other wound itself in Emily's dark hair. Her fingers scratched along Emily's scalp as she bunched the soft tresses in her fist. Emily swore she could feel the tingle in every single hair follicle.

The taste of Paige was something Emily would never get tired of. She craved it like a lost soul craves a single droplet of water in the Sahara. This beautiful part of Paige's body was her oasis.

Her tongue knew where to go and what to do without Emily even having to think about it. All she had to do was enjoy the way her girlfriend writhed and bucked around her. Emily pushed down lightly on Paige's hips to settle her movement some. The attempt was nearly pointless. The closer Paige got to release, the more vigorously her hips bucked and her legs shook.

Within another minute, Paige screamed out a string of words and moans. Her body curled in on itself, her legs clamped together, her body twisted. Emily stayed with her the whole time. As Paige recovered, every extra stroke from Emily's tongue caused her muscles to constrict and her breath to catch.

Emily made her way slowly back up Paige's body. She brushed the damp fringes of hair back from Paige's face as she smiled the smile of someone who'd just rocked her girlfriend's world.

"Fuck me," Paige said as she felt the aftershocks pulsate through her body. Emily had, actually, and expertly so. "I hope the freshman dorms have thick walls," Paige panted. They'd almost never leave their room.

 **A/N: I think we can all agree that they needed some Emily and Paige quality time.**

 **I need to respond to a Guest. (Guest: you'll know who you are though your comments aren't shown) Thanks for what you said! It's ok; I'll shed a little light for you. I did have a wonderful experience and I would go back. In fact, I'm planning another trip now. Actually, my encounter was very different to Emily and Paige's in some ways and in others it was very similar. When I went before it was for work which altered my experience from what most people would probably have. I had security and a photographer/videographer with me everywhere I went. This is something that doesn't normally bother me but here I did not appreciate the distraction. That said; I would not change a single thing. I met wonderful people and it was the deciding factor for a lot of change in my life. This next trip will be much more personal for me and not in any official capacity, which I look forward to immensely. If you really are considering going to Haiti, my advice would be you should. Whether it is to PAP or any of the cities along the coast, I'd recommend it. If you want to know more PM me and I'll answer you directly.**


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Emily stirred awake sometime during the pre-dawn hours. Even under the plush covers she could feel the chill in the air. Also, the space next to her was empty and the sheets were cool. Paige must have been out of bed for a little bit now.

Emily got up to add a few more logs to the slowly dying fire. She'd expected Paige back in the room by now but she was still absent. Emily looked around the room once more trying to adjust to the dark and her slowly awakening state of mind. That's when she noticed the curtain pulled back from the French doors to the enclosed balcony.

Emily pulled the comforter off of the bed and wrapped herself in it. She was naked after all. Peering through the large doors, Emily could make out the silhouette of Paige, also bundled in a blanket, sitting in a chair on the balcony. She slid the door open and stepped onto the cool wooden planks of the decking.

"Paige? What are you doing out here?"

Paige looked up when she heard the door slide open. "Hey. I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. I came out here so I wouldn't disturb you."

"You didn't have to come out here. It's freezing outside."

Paige lifted the covers around her. "It's not that bad out here. Besides, I brought these out. It's kinda nice sitting out here staring up at the stars." She opened up her blankets some and gestured for Emily to join her.

Emily folder her blanket around them as well as she settled in Paige's lap. "You're not wearing any clothes," Emily said when she noticed Paige's state of undress.

"Either are you," Paige countered. "Is that a bad thing?"

"Not from where I'm looking," Emily pointed out. _Or feeling_ , she thought to herself. Unobstructed contact with Paige was one of Emily's favorite things.

Paige leaned further back into the chair, wrapping her arms around Emily and pulling her back against her chest. "Somehow the sky seems clearer at night in the winter and the little pocket of Earth you're taking up seems so quiet, so still. There is something centering about that."

"You're right. It's like we're the only two people in the world right now."

"You are my world, Emily."

Emily angled her head to look back at Paige. "That was a nice line."

"It wasn't a line." Emily smirked at her girlfriend. "OK, maybe you aren't the _only_ person in my world but you're definitely at the top of the list."

They were silent for a while when Emily spoke up again. "Look at the moon reflecting off of the lake. Isn't that beautiful?" It had been cold enough lately for the water near the banks of the lake to freeze over but not the whole lake in its entirety. The combination of surfaces made a lovely contrast.

"It's breathtaking," Paige answered. But she wasn't looking at the lake; that's not what she was referring to. Paige was looking at the curve of Emily's neck. How it gracefully led to Emily's shoulders. There isn't a single part of Emily's body that Paige doesn't find beautiful.

She gently kissed down the column of Emily's neck. The edge of the blanket fell off of Emily's shoulder just enough for Paige to continue her expedition of Emily's slightly chilled skin. The heat of her mouth on the cool flesh caused Emily to shiver and flush at the same time. Goosebumps broke out along Emily's skin and the hair on the back of her neck stood up.

Paige has gotten to know Emily's body well since they've been intimate. She knew what Emily needed before Emily knew herself. Paige ran the pads of her fingers along Emily's quivering abdominals. Her body is perfection in Paige's eyes: firm, fit and feminine with curves and suppleness in all of the right places.

Emily craned her neck allowing Paige a greater expanse of sensitive skin to claim with her mouth. Paige's hands remained active. They travelled up Emily's stomach slowly; the tips of her fingers lightly grazing Emily's nipples. Emily drew in a sharp breath at the contact and held it as her heart thudded wildly in her chest.

Paige palmed each breast with just enough pressure for Emily to feel the increasing desire in Paige's touch. Then she splayed her fingers apart, positioned Emily's hardened nipples between her index and middle fingers and tugged sharply. The swift transition of Paige's intentions from sensual to sexual shot a bolt of arousal straight to Emily's core.

Emily was having a hard time keeping her wantonness contained. She couldn't stop her hips from moving; looking for any contact with Paige's body she could get it from to exactly where she needed it. She angled her body slightly allowing Paige's thigh to slip in between her own. Her hips moved with purpose now. Emily was desperate at this point for release. She hooked her arm around Paige's neck, slightly raising herself while simultaneously bringing Paige's head lower and her ear to within reach. "Paige…please," Emily ground out between clenched teeth.

Paige quickly gathered Emily into her arms, making sure the comforter was still wrapped around them, stood, and within two long strides was at the French doors and yanking them open. Her eyes were trained on the unmade, ruffled bed where they'd made love just hours before and would be again.

With her eyes focused ahead, Paige couldn't see the edges of the comforter dragging the ground. Just as she'd dashingly approached the bed with Emily in her arms, Paige's left foot caught on the mass of extra cloth around her, causing her to trip. She fell forward launching both she and Emily onto the bed in a heap of tangled limbs.

Paige landed on top of Emily, which really, it worked out any way you go about it. Both girls shook with laughter as Paige raised her body to look Emily in the eyes. "You gotta admit, I get a ten for that landing," Paige said as she kissed the tip of Emily's nose.

Emily tucked a few strands of hair behind Paige's ear and pulled her closer. "Yeah," she agreed before she connected their lips again in a heated kiss. The moment of laughter was great, she loved Paige for it actually and sex should be fun, but her desire had not abated. She still needed to feel Paige all around her and all within her.

Emily was wound so tight, Paige could feel the strain in the muscles that held them snugly together. Emily's need for release was strong, so was Paige's need to have Emily…to make her come apart at her will.

Paige devoured the beautiful expanse of Emily's body with her mouth, kissing gently, sucking roughly and licking seductively. The sounds coming from Emily encouraged her further. She dipped her fingers through the wetness between Emily's legs. Emily instinctually spread her legs wider, giving Paige greater access. Paige knew better than to waste any time at this point. She inserted first one, then another finger and began the motions and the rhythm that she knew well…and she loved it. It wouldn't take long. Emily's hard breathing; sporadic movements and encouragement between sighs were a pretty good indicator.

Emily came hard. Her fingers dug into the flesh between Paige's shoulder blades as she squeezed Paige tightly to her. It was as if Emily was trying to pull her into her, body and soul. And they were in this moment, one together.

Paige froze in place, letting them both soak in the glow of this moment. If they got any more sleep tonight it would be only after their bodies give out in exhaustion.

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The weekend went by too quickly as usual. By Monday, everyone was back at school and going through the day-to-day. All seniors at Rosewood High were required to attend a career fair during the last block of the day in the schools media center.

Paige and Hanna happened to meet at the door as they followed the line of students inside the room. "So how was the looooove shack this weekend," Hanna said as she bumped shoulders with Paige and waggled her eye brows.

Paige wasn't about to divulge the details of her and Emily's sex life. That just wasn't her style. But she also knew Hanna wouldn't let it rest until she gave some type of answer. "I'd say that cabin will never be called anything else ever again."

Hanna's bright blue eyes perked up at Paige's answer. She'd press Emily for more details later. She is glad that they are happy. Both girls deserve the solid, loving relationship that they are in now.

Paige looked around the room full of tables set up by local higher ed recruiters and businesses touting their industries and workforce needs. "So what are we supposed to do," Paige asked Hanna.

Hanna looked around the room as well. She already pretty well knew what she wanted to do: fashion. She doubted anyone representing that trade would be in attendance today at Rosewood's career fair. "Kill time until the rest of the girls get here. Then we can just hang out with them."

They walked around the ring of tables skirting the outer walls of the media center. The vendors had brochures, activities and elaborate displays set up at their booths. Hanna looked over to a Hollis nursing school table that had a life-size human dummy. "Fifty bucks says that dummy is missing a body part by the end of the day."

Paige laughed. "A hundred bucks says it ends up sticking out of a drawer in the principal's desk and scares the shit out of him!"

Hanna studied the area mischievously. Her eyes scanned the human dummy and all exit points. "I kind of want to do that now."

"No, Han," Paige said as she dragged her in the opposite direction.

Aria, Riley, Spencer and Emily had just walked in and met them in the middle of the room. "Someone needs to keep an eye on her," Paige said motioning to Hanna.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "I'm not gonna do it. And it was YOUR idea!"

"What you are guys talking about," Aria asked.

"Nothing that Spence can't lawyer us out of one day," Hanna explained.

Spencer pursed her lips. It was a Hastings thing…just like getting your JD. "You are assuming that I intend to join the family business. I've not made up my mind."

Emily rolled her eyes and laughed. "Oh please, your mind was made up at birth, Spence."

It was a fair point. Spencer didn't argue further. "Are you going to visit any of the tables here today?" She was asking Riley, Paige and Emily. She, Hanna and Aria had pretty well known what they wanted to do for quite some time now. Hanna: fashion, Spencer: law or poli sci and Aria: the arts.

The three of them looked at each other. "Penn State has a good Agricultural Sciences school. I'm thinking about that. I didn't really see anyone representing that background here."

"So basically you want to dig in the dirt for living is what you're telling us?" Not Hanna's thing _at all_ but if that was Paige's so be it. She'd be the one a filthy mess all of the time.

"Seriously?" Paige shrugged her shoulders. "That is not even close, Hanna. I don't know yet what I want my major to be. I could do something to prevent hunger by increasing crop yields, or find a way to grow a more diverse food source in lands with inhospitable environments, or perfect irrigation techniques to reserve water usage…anything. So no, not everything is digging in the dirt."

"I'm thinking Penn's School of Education," Emily chimed in quickly. If she didn't, she was afraid Hanna would say something even more ridiculous. "That way I could work with kids. And maybe even coach the school swim team." That sounded just about perfect to Emily. And, bonus…she could teach anywhere…anywhere that Paige might need to live in order to do her job.

"Penn State is looking at me too," Riley mentioned. "Their College of Engineering is kind of cool. Like maybe my focus could be Architectural Engineering."

Spencer nodded her head. "I could definitely see you doing that."

"Yeah, I really enjoyed working on that barn renovation with you last year." Spencer's parents let her take the lead on the barn renovation into an updated living and meeting place. Riley got really involved in the process too. "I've kind of had that in the back of my head since then."

The future was looking bright for all of the girls. Especially for Paige, Emily and Riley, all three of them could be enjoying life in State College, PA next year if all of their chips fell into place.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Paige had never before seen a school so enthusiastic about their swim team. At Rosewood High you're the cream of the crop if you're a swimmer. She wondered if it had always been like that or if it was because they tended to have such good teams throughout the years. Either way she was surprised when she found out the Athletic Director organizes a pep-rally for the team every year.

Here she is, sat in a folding chair with the rest of her teammates on the floor of the school gymnasium and there are her schoolmates, sitting up in the bleachers cheering for the Sharks. Tomorrow is the big meet with their cross-town rivals, the Sheridan Prep Red Devils.

Paige desperately wanted to beat them. This was the same school that had practically torn her field hockey team apart and ended their season. Unfortunately for Sheridan there weren't too many dirty tricks they could play or ways to cheat in the water. The timers were neutral for both teams. Unless Sheridan paid them off, Paige felt pretty secure that this would be a fair meet.

The school's AD introduced Coach Fulton and gave her the handheld microphone. "I want to hear you all cheer loud and proud for my Sharks," she shouted as she fanned her arm behind her towards the team.

The gymnasium erupted in cheers from students; their arms outstretched in front of them bent at the elbows, clapping their hands together much like the famous Florida Gator's Chomp. The team looked back-and-forth to each other down the line of their seats grinning from ear-to-ear. It was pretty cool to see the entire school get behind them.

Coach Fulton feigned resentment. "Now I know you don't want to hear from me anymore so let's bring up our two superstar swimmers, Emily Fields and Paige McCullers!"

Emily started to get up from her seat to make her way towards Coach. When she didn't feel Paige at her side she looked back to the seat Paige had been sitting in and was _still_ sitting in apparently.

Paige's eyes were wide in shock. Or maybe apprehension. Or both? Emily wasn't sure. She waved Paige over to her but still, Paige stayed planted in her seat.

Emily took a few steps back to Paige and leaned down discreetly. She whispered in her ear, "Paige, come on. We have to say something."

Paige shook her head. Nope. She didn't need to say a thing. Not to all of these people she didn't. Not even a little bit.

Emily gently tugged on Paige's arm to get her moving from the chair. As they made their way to Coach she reassured Paige. "It's fine. I'll be right there next to you. Just say something like you would to get the team pumped up in the locker room."

Emily accepted the microphone from Coach Fulton. "Thanks everyone! We have a great team this year and we're looking forward to leaving the Red Devils in our wake tomorrow!"

Paige's heart was beating fast. How did Emily seem so natural at this? She was working that crowd like a pro. At least it looked that way. The thumping of her pulse in her ears was making it impossible for Paige to hear what else Emily was saying. Emily was practically glowing in the spotlight. Not at all what Paige was doing right now. She was glistening…with sweat…and her legs felt wobbly. Why is that she can talk to small groups of people just fine but not so much crowds?

Paige could feel it, Emily was about to hand over the microphone. Which she did. Paige reached for it timidly, like it was a bomb that's fuse was lit and getting dangerously short. _Oh no!_ What if _she_ bombed?

Then Emily smiled at her. She smiled at a clearly nervous Paige and covered her fingers over her girlfriend's as she took the microphone. Emily gave one gentle squeeze, nodded her head reassuringly and released her grip of the mic.

That was all it took for Paige to feel more comfortable. She gathered up every ounce of her encouragement mojo and looked up into the bleachers.

Paige cleared her throat and prayed that her words didn't get caught up between her brain and her mouth. "The Red Devils may be _fired up_ about this meet but we want it more!" Paige punched her fist in the air. "We're gonna _smoke'em_!"

Emily wrapped the arm closest to Paige around her girlfriend's waist. She raised her free arm into the air with her hand in a fist like Paige had and began cheering with the rest of the school. Their teammates were up out of their seats and cheering as well. Win, lose or draw, there's no way the Red Devils had more heart than the Sharks.

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Halfway through the swim meet the Rosewood Sharks were practically eating the Red Devils for dinner. The races weren't necessarily easy wins for the girls but they were hard-won and worth the effort.

Paige had one more race that evening: the 100 meter breaststroke. She had performed well so far. Her previous two races resulted in both first place finishes. Emily and Paige were leading the team as usual in times and best finishes.

It wasn't until Paige began stretching for her final race of the evening that she started to feel wonky. Wonky is best way to describe it. She didn't feel sick. She wasn't hurt. She just didn't feel _right._ She felt anxious. Not nervous. Those are two very different emotions. She felt unsettled but she couldn't put her finger on what was unsettling. Like there was an itch that she couldn't find. Something was off. Something was wrong. But again, she wasn't sick. She wasn't hurt.

Paige tried to shake it off as best she could. She stepped onto the starting block and awaited the shrill whistle that would signal the competitors to begin the race. The chirp blasted throughout the swim deck. Paige dove into the water, but as she did, her foot slipped. That would take some time off. Once she hit the water, her performance did not improve. Her stroke was off. Her breathing was off. Paige was just plain off her game. She was off herself.

The result was dismal. She's a good enough swimmer to have avoided coming in last but still, her total defeat was surprising and noticeable.

Paige hoisted herself out of the water. She was disgusted and embarrassed by her performance. Her head was not in it all the sudden. Her teammates came up to her offering encouraging words and reassuring that it happens from time-to-time. But it doesn't; not to Paige.

Coach Fulton approached her with a concerned look on her face. Before Coach could say anything, Paige preempted her. "I know, Coach. It was awful. I'm sorry. I don't know what happened."

Coach Fulton pulled Paige aside. "You did fine, Paige. That's not why I came over." She placed her hand on Paige's shoulder. "It's Riley. She had an accident."

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Paige flew through the automatic doors that led into the emergency room at Rosewood General Hospital. A cold blast of air hit her as she made a beeline for the reception desk. With her hair still wet the cold air chilled Paige to the bone.

She walked up to the elderly receptionist. "I'm looking for Riley Hastings, please," she said with a quiver in her voice.

"Only family is permitted back," the receptionist said with a tilt of her head aimed at the swinging double doors leading to exam rooms. She looked back to Paige with a stern expression. "Are you family?"

"Yes, she's my twin sister."

The receptionist, whose nametag said "Clara," looked at her computer screen while she punched a few keys with her bright red manicured nails. "Room 203."

Paige didn't wait for any further instruction, clearance or direction. She barged through the double-doors and began looking wildly at the numbers on the exam rooms. Paige found room 203 and pushed back the curtain. Lying in the bed, with her head turned to one side and her right leg elevated, was Riley.

Paige tiptoed into the room. Under the fluorescent lights Riley looked pale. She had a bandage above her right eye and the area around it was swollen and starting to bruise. Her eyes were closed. She didn't appear to have noticed Paige come in at all. _Oh my God, she's in a coma_ Paige thought to herself.

She sat in the hard plastic chair next to Riley's bed. On instinct, she reached over the guardrail to take one of Riley's hands into her own. "Riley, please be OK. Coach said you got into an accident and were at the hospital. She didn't know anything else so I came as soon as she told me." Paige looked at her sister's eyelids to see if they were moving. They weren't. Which to be honest, she didn't know if that meant anything or not. "I need you wake up. There is no way, _no way_ , you're leaving me now. We just found each other."

Paige drew in a deep breath then exhaled slowly. "I knew there was something wrong. I knew it! My last race was dismal. Something was off with me, but I couldn't figure out what. I felt so uneasy. It was you. You were hurt, something was wrong with you but I felt it, too."

Paige stood up and let go of Riley's hand. She leaned over the rail to get a better look at her sister's head injury. Her face hovered over Riley's. When she exhaled she could see Riley's fly away hairs sway a little. "Come on, Riley," she said with impatient concern. She poked her sister's shoulder. "Just wake up."

Riley turned her head and spoke at the same time. "Alright, I'm up already! Jeez!"

Paige yelped and stumbled backwards. "You're awake!"

Riley laughed out loud. "You should see your face right now!"

"Where you awake that whole time?" Paige said as she hit the edge of the bed. "I thought you were in a fucking coma!"

Riley stopped laughing for Paige's sake, and also, it hurt her head. "I don't think I was awake when you came in, but I woke up while you were talking. It would have been weird if I interrupted you."

"Oh and that," Paige waved her hands at Riley, "wasn't weird? You scared the shit out of me."

"Well I was going to 'wake up' and act like I had amnesia and didn't remember you. But I figured that would be taking it too far. So really, I went pretty easy on you."

Paige rolled her eyes. "You are such an ass."

"She certainly can be," Paige heard someone say behind her. She turned around to see Natalie Hastings standing near the curtain to the walkway. "Thanks for coming, Paige. I'll say it in case Riley hasn't yet."

Riley sighed and looked to Paige. "I was just about to." She looked back to her mom. "Did you find out when I can leave?"

Natalie had just gotten back from the nurse's station where the doctors who looked over Riley's CAT scan and MRI informed her of the extent of injuries. "We're here for the night, kiddo."

"All night?"

Natalie nodded her head. "Honey, it's for the best. You've got a concussion and a badly bruised patella. You're being kept overnight for observation on the head injury and a physical therapist will see us in the morning to talk about your knee."

 _Go big or go him, sista_ Paige thought to herself. "What happened? Did you wreck your car? Coach told me you had an accident."

Riley adjusted her position in the bed. It was not what she would describe as comfortable. "Not that kind of accident. It happened at basketball practice. I went up for a layup and came down on Bridgett Wu. I don't even know what she was trying to do."

"Riley, be nice. She was probably there for your rebound in case you missed or blocking a defender."

"You mean she didn't know what she was doing because she was drunk, more like." Stupid Bridgette getting in her way.

"Riley, keep your voice down. That's how rumors get started." Natalie stepped further into the room so no one else could overhear.

"It's not a rumor if it is fact. That's called truth talk."

"But what actually happened," Paige asked again.

Riley shrugged her shoulders. "I don't totally know. When I landed I was all off balance and twisted up because of Bridgette. Bridgette had hold of my arms to try to steady herself so I couldn't break my fall. My head it the court and then it was lights out."

Paige instantly wanted to throw a basketball at Bridgette Wu. She'd never catch it. Riley was right. She was probably drunk during practice.

Riley stifled a yawn. "It's tired in here. Don't you guys think it's tired in here?" She felt so drowsy and her head was foggy. It took a great deal of effort just to hold a conversation with her mom and sister.

Paige and Natalie looked at each other with a very similar smile on their faces. Riley was making no sense at all. Natalie walked over to the bed and kissed Riley's forehead. "Yeah, Riley, it's _tired_ in here. It's probably that pain medicine. You take a nap, honey, while they get your room ready for the night. I'll be back in a bit. I love you."

"Mmmkay. Love you," Riley mumbled half asleep already.

Paige walked over to the bed and squeezed her sister's shoulder. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow, Riley."

"Mmmkay. Love you too, Paige."

Paige's heart leapt into her throat. She's never heard her sister say she loves her. Did Riley even know she'd said it? Paige did know this: she has also grown to love her sister. She didn't know what she would have done had Riley been seriously hurt. "I love you too, Riley." Paige felt like crying to be honest. It was from the relief of Riley being ok and from hearing Riley say she loves her and knowing she meant it when she said it back.

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Natalie and Paige stepped into the walkway outside of Riley's exam room. Natalie's eyes were moist from the unshed tears that had formed in her eyes when she watched her two biological daughters interact.

"She means it, you know," Natalie said, turning to Paige.

"I do, too."

Natalie looked at Paige in consideration. "Paige, would you join me in the cafeteria for some coffee or something?" Natalie didn't necessarily expect Paige to take her up on the offer but she put in out there in case.

Paige considered the question closely. If she accepted, it would be the first time she and Natalie, her birth mother, will have had a private conversation together without one of Paige's parents, Riley or Dr. Sullivan present. Sooner or later this was bound to happen. "Sure, we can do that."

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As they stood in line in the cafeteria Paige occupied herself by straightening up all of the condiments on the counter. Nothing was in straight rows and the labels on bottles were turned every which way but forward. Paige really couldn't handle that so she corrected the organization.

Natalie observed Paige silently. It was amazing to her that her biological daughter, who had spent no time with her before now, was so much like her in some ways. Are these things genetic or environmental? She'd always assumed environmental but perhaps not. Paige had no way of knowing of course, but Natalie had done the very same thing to the condiments counter just two hours before. Maybe this was something she passed on to Paige. The thought of that made her happy; that even though she wasn't "technically" her daughter anymore, Paige still had influences of Natalie that made her who she is today. And it wasn't just physical resemblance.

Natalie and Paige found an open table by the wall of windows opposite the cash register. Paige had bought a bottle of water. Natalie was drinking a coffee. Paige noticed that Natalie had stacked up her packets of Truvia perfectly. Not a single packet was askew. It was an interesting observation. Paige would have done, and does in fact do the same thing. If Natalie had not already straightened them Paige most likely would have reached across the table and done it anyway. That's just how she was. She didn't know why. It was one of her "quirks" her parents liked to say.

"I'm sorry you were pulled away from your swim meet," Natalie finally said.

"It's ok. I wanted to be here for Riley. I was worried. Coach didn't know much so she couldn't tell me if it was bad or something not so bad."

"How were your races tonight?"

"I placed first in two of the three. The third one was right before I found out that Riley was at the hospital. That one didn't go so great."

"I bet. Three races in one night would be tiring."

Paige shook her head. "It wasn't that. I'm used to that kind of line up. I just felt really uneasy all'a the sudden when I got up on the starting block. That's never happened to me before. Usually I calm down anytime I'm in or around a pool."

Paige looked down at the table. "This might sound weird but I think I knew there was something wrong with Riley. Like I felt it in here," she pointed to her head, "and here," she pointed to her heart.

"That doesn't sound weird to me at all, Paige. Twins have a special connection that most people cannot understand or relate to."

"I guess I kinda get that. Like the whole twin ESP thing." Before now or perhaps before meeting Riley, Paige would have said that was crap.

Natalie looked outside the windows to the darkness of nighttime in winter. In the reflection of the glass, she could see herself and Paige. "You and Riley were born fairly prematurely. There were some complications because of that and you had to stay in the NICU for quite a while." She looked back to Paige. "The nurses told me I had the cutest babies they'd ever seen. I believed them because it was true. They would fawn all over you two. I don't know if it was because I didn't have a spouse or anyone there with me, but they really looked after you two when I couldn't be there. I appreciated that so much. I would get reports every day from the nurses about how you did that shift. One thing always stuck out. Every time one of you was upset or your monitors went crazy, they would place you in the crib next to each other, skin-to-skin, and you'd instantly calm down."

Paige wished she could remember that time with Riley.

"Why I ever let you two be separated is something I will never quite get over. Especially now that I've seen you two together." Ironically that really has made it harder for Natalie.

Paige understood. Natalie Hastings has about as much to work through as Paige does. It's just different circumstances. But in order to move forward Natalie has to work through it and move on.

"You have to. You have to get over it, or at the very least learn to accept it." Paige looked directly into Natalie's eyes. Eyes that were the color of Riley's but the shape of Paige's. "That's what I'm trying to do."

"The McCullers…your parents…have done a wonderful job raising you, Paige. You've turned into someone they should be very proud of." She added hesitantly. "I'm proud of you, too."

"Thanks," Paige said with a shy smile. And for reasons Paige wasn't really comfortable admitting, hearing Natalie say she was proud of her meant a lot to her.

 **A/N: Figured it was high time I get back to the twin of it all with this story. That was the prompt after all. That twin connection; it's a thing y'all. It really is. I have zero explanation for it but it's legit.**

 **Happy Thanksgiving week, y'all! (to those of you who celebrate it)**

 **Have a great week to** _ **everyone!**_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Ah, Valentine's Day. For the cynical, unromantic folks it's a Hallmark Holiday. A day created simply to be a boon to the economy, sell flowers, unload some chocolates, keep the doors of stationary shops open, stress about where to make dinner reservations… Paige used to be one of those people.

Not anymore. Now she's in love. The pointy arrow from Cupid's bow hit its mark. The chubby little cherub brought her Emily Fields. This would be their first (hopefully of many) Valentine's Days together. It was her ultimate goal to make this day special for Emily. She only hoped her plan would bring a smile to Emily's face. She wished she could be there with her girlfriend to see her day-long journey. Luckily, this year, Valentine's Day is on a weekend, which was good because what Paige has in store for Emily will take a good chunk of the day.

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Emily promised Paige she would clear the whole day on Valentine's Day. She still could not convince her girlfriend to reveal their plans for the day. She was excited and anxious and ready to go by ten o'clock that morning.

Emily walked downstairs to wait in the living room with her mom. It would be a good opportunity to catch up with her while she waited for her girlfriend. "Hey, mom," Emily said as she made her way into the room. Pam was sitting casually on the couch curled up with a book.

Pam looked up from her book while she dog-eared the page. She smiled at her daughter as she sat across from her in the recliner. "Hi, honey. You look nice."

Emily was relieved to hear it. She wasn't sure what to wear today because she didn't know what her plans were. Paige had told her to dress casually; like she would if she were going to school. So that's what she did.

"Thanks. What time are you and dad going out tonight?"

Pam snuck a quick look at her watch. She wasn't sure why. She didn't need to look at her watch to tell Emily what time she and her husband were going out. "We have reservations for dinner at 8:00."

Emily looked towards the door. She was surprised Paige wasn't there yet. "I wish I knew what Paige and I were doing today. In fact, she's actually running a little late."

Pam discreetly felt for the envelope she had tucked between the couch cushions next to her. She grabbed hold and pulled it out. "Um, about that. Paige stopped by while you were in the shower and asked me to give you this. I don't think she's coming."

Emily immediately panicked. _Paige isn't coming? Why?_ Emily tore open the blue envelope and pulled out a piece of matching blue cardstock. Emily's brows knitted together as she read:

 _I believe with soul mates there can be only one;_

 _Your next clue waits where our journey was_ _begun._

Emily held the cardstock up to her mom. "What is this?"

Pam smiled. She knew but she wasn't going to spoil the fun of Emily figuring it out. "What does the card say?"

Emily read the script aloud to her mom word-for-word. "Paige underlined the word 'begun.'" Emily looked in the envelope again to see if she was missing anything. Nope. Then she turned the cardstock over inspecting each side. Nothing else there either. "What does this even mean?"

Pam took the paper from Emily playing along. "Well, it also says 'next clue' on here, Emmy. I think that means you need to find something."

 _Find something. Find something. FIND something…a CLUE. Oh!_ "I think this is a Valentine's Day scavenger hunt," Emily said excitedly.

 _Bingo!_ "That sounds like fun, honey. Where did your journey begin? I think you should focus on the underlined word."

Emily took the note back and tapped it on her chin as she thought. "Hmmm, the first place I ever saw her was The Brew. Actually, that's the first place we ever talked to each other, too."

Pam pointed towards the front door. "I think you just figured out where your next stop should be."

Emily raced out of the door, grabbing her car keys and purse from the table in the foyer on her rush out.

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Emily burst through the door of The Brew looking around with searching eyes. The only thing was; she wasn't sure what to look for. Her co-worker Sabrina walked up holding a familiar blue envelope.

"Paige was acting really weird this morning. She told me if you came in to hand you this envelope."

Emily greedily plucked it from Sabrina's grasp. "Thanks," she said as she walked towards a vacant table so she could open the envelope in privacy.

 _I sat as your beauty captivated me for weeks;_

 _I found myself_ _swimming_ _in the dimples of your cheeks._

 _I knew for your love I would valiantly compete;_

 _So I jumped in whole-heartedly with both feet._

Emily immediately honed in on the underlined word, skimming the text with the pad of her finger. "Swimming," she said aloud in thought. "Jumped in whole-heartedly," she read from the last line. _She must mean a pool. Like Rosewood High where we practiced this summer!_

Emily was sure that was it. She thanked Sabrina again as she made her way out of The Brew.

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Luckily, Emily has keys to the natatorium because she's the Sharks' team captain. Otherwise she'd not have been able to get in. _Who would be here to give her Paige's envelope_ she wondered. Emily searched and searched. She called out to see if anyone was there. She was met with no one and silence.

She walked around the pool deck thinking Paige had to have meant for her to come here. That's when Emily saw it; a blue envelope sitting on the middle-lane starting block. She made her way over and took out the note.

 _We had fun together out on the pitch;_

 _From swimming to field hockey you should not switch._

 _When you shared your Rocky Road I did swoon;_

 _As you offered the bite from your very own_ _spoon._

Emily laughed out loud at the field hockey reference. Her girlfriend had a point. Emily immediately knew where to go when she saw what was underlined. She remembered that day and evening well. She just about climbed over the table to kiss Paige then and there.

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Since Spoons is only open in the summer months the place was deserted when Emily pulled up. She walked over to the table where she and Paige sat the first time they were there. Centered in the middle was a blue envelope. It was clear now that Paige was taking her on a lovely journey to the places they've been together and the memorable moments they've shared.

 _You shared your special place at a beautiful_ _overlook;_

 _A single conversation was all that it took._

 _That night I asked you for a date;_

 _You said "yes" and thus sealed our fate._

Emily could hardly wait to see Paige by this point. Reliving all of these memories was a very special way to celebrate Valentine's Day. And even though Paige wasn't physically near her right now, her presence was felt deeply.

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Emily drove up the winding road to the overlook where she goes to think. She had only shared this place with one other person and that was Paige.

Walking through the bushes and scrub brush was easier in the winter when there was much less greenery and landscaping to trudge through. She found the blue envelope duct taped to the large boulder the two had sat on that evening.

 _The band played softly, we danced to Adele;_

 _All night long I was under your spell._

 _I walked you to your_ _door_ _and kissed you breathless;_

 _You, in turn, kissed me senseless._

Emily's lips tingled at the memory of their first kiss. She reached up with her free hand and brushed over her lips with the pads of her fingers. What a first kiss it was!

This could only mean one thing; Emily was headed back to her house.

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Emily parked crooked in her driveway and rushed up to the front door. She caught her mom peering through the blinds in the living room facing the front yard. She smiled at her mom as she peeled the blue envelope off the door.

Emily pointed at the envelope in her hand while mouthing to her mom, "You knew all along."

Her mom pursed her lips, motioned turning a lock, and threw away an imaginary key behind her. Emily laughed out loud and tore open the envelope.

 _The hardest decision I've ever had to make;_

 _Was saying to you we needed a break._

 _Later for my birthday you gave me a_ _picture;_

 _Then I told you about my lesson from Spencer._

Paige was talking about the framed picture of her and Riley at the field hockey game against Sheridan Prep. The night Emily gave it to Paige was the night they got back together. Paige told Emily of Spencer's lesson about Castor and Pollux. When they told the story of their make up to their friends, Spencer had made sure to correct Paige when she called them "Casper and Pollen."

Emily knew that Paige kept the photo frame on her nightstand in her bedroom which meant she was going to Paige's house. This must have meant that surely the final stop was Paige's house in her bedroom.

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Emily knocked on the front door of the McCullers'. Claire opened the door with a big smile on her face when she saw it was Emily.

"Hi Claire. Is Paige here," Emily asked excitedly.

"No, Paige isn't home right now. She left a while ago."

That wasn't what Emily was expecting. Now she was confused. "Oh, well…I thought maybe I was supposed to meet her here in her, um, her bedroom."

Claire nodded her head. "She did mention that you might be stopping by. I think she left something upstairs for you." Claire opened the door wider. "You can go on up if you like."

Emily thanked Claire before she padded up the steps and walked into Paige's bedroom. She immediately went to Paige's nightstand. Taped to the back of the picture frame was a blue envelope.

 _Our first trip we danced, you fit my body like a glove;_

 _Our second trip_ _there_ _is when we made love._

The Love Shack. Emily's body pulsed at the memory. Boy did it.

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It took awhile for Emily to drive out to the cabin. She wasn't exactly sure what to do when she got there. Walking through the front door unannounced might not be the best idea. Spencer and Toby had claimed the place for the weekend. _Don't nobody wanna walk in on that!_

Fortunately, Emily found her clue fastened to the fencepost near the driveway. She knew that must be it when she saw the heart balloons tethered to the rails. Along with the balloons was another blue envelope.

 _You told me in Haiti you'd go anywhere with me;_

 _All roads lead to you and our destiny._

 _Without you I wouldn't know what to do;_

 _Perhaps sit alone, by myself at_ _The Brew?_

Emily hadn't noticed how long this scavenger hunt had taken her. She was having so much fun that time was of no issue. She looked down at her watch; it was half past three. The Brew had to be the final stop. Surely.

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Emily walked back through the doors of The Brew an hour later. She was sure she'd find Paige there. When she walked the café floor and looked in each reading nook and still came up with no Paige and no blue envelope she was confused. The last note all but told her exactly where to go. This had to be it. All she desperately wanted to do right now was see Paige; to kiss her; to thank her; to hold her; to love her.

Sabrina walked up to Emily with a knowing smile on her face. "If you're looking for a blue envelope, Paige asked me to slip it in your employee locker. She's something else. Hold on to that one."

Emily intended to do just that. She reached for Sabrina's forearm and gave it a quick squeeze, "Thanks," she said before turning towards the swinging doors that lead to the kitchen and staff break room.

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Shaky hands fumbled with the combination on her locker. Once she finally managed to get it open, she found the envelope on the bottom of the metal locker.

She opened the envelope expecting to find another piece of blue cardstock. Instead she found about six and they were all haphazardly cut in to odd shapes. On each piece was writing but it made no sense.

Emily shook out the pieces on the long table in the middle of the room. Once she could lay them out before her it was easy to tell what this was: a puzzle. She fit all of the pieces together and the message became clear. She never heard the person walk through the swinging doors behind her as she read.

 _The final piece of the puzzle;_

 _I hope I've not wasted your time._

 _One last thing I must ask of you…_

"Will you be my Valentine?"

Emily spun around quickly at the sound of the voice belonging to the girl she loves so much. Standing there, holding a single red rose out to her was Paige.

Emily took the rose, managing to hold it between clusters of thorns. She leapt in to Paige's arms and crashed their lips together. Paige wrapped her arms around Emily holding her tight. She wasn't sure what reaction she'd get from Emily but this was pretty good.

"So what do you say," Paige asked as their lips slowly parted.

"I'll always be your Valentine," Emily said before she wrapped her hand in Paige's soft hair and pulled their lips together once more.

 **A/N: When I started this chapter my intention was to write about a Valentine's date. Then all the sudden I started writing about a scavenger hunt. I thought I'd probably include their date that evening as well but when I got to the end I just couldn't bring myself to do it. To be honest, I liked stopping with the end of the scavenger hunt; I felt going on further with a date would ruin that moment. I hope I didn't leave you hanging on for more! And yes, I made up all of those cheesy (but hopefully not too much) notes. I never said I was a poet. :)**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

 **A/N: Y'all, my apologies for the ridiculously long, unexpected delay. That's not the norm for me. It has been a few months since I've touched this story or really even thought about it. Here's hoping I'm not rusty getting back at it. Let's find out together.**

Paige and Emily walked hand-in-hand out of The Brew. It took several long moments before Emily would let go of Paige in the staff break room. She was so happy to see her after the build-up of the day-long scavenger hunt that the thought of not holding her girlfriend was unwelcome.

Emily had every note tucked into her purse. She would cherish these notes forever. They were from her and Paige's first Valentine's Day together. Emily could have never imagined that Paige was this romantic. It blew her away sometimes how much Paige loves her. And how much she loves Paige.

Hearing Paige's voice broke her out of her romantic reverie. "You hungry," Paige asked.

For the first time since that morning Emily realized she had not eaten since breakfast. She's been too busy on Paige's journey. "Yeah, I am actually."

Paige winked at her. "Good. I made reservations at The Grille for dinner." With her free hand she pulled her phone out of her jeans pocket to check the time. "And we should be right on time."

"How'd you manage to time that right?" Paige couldn't have known how long it would take for Emily to finish the scavenger hunt.

Paige shrugged her shoulders in confident nonchalance. "I'm just _that_ good." Emily side-eyed Paige with a playful smirk. Paige laughed. "It was a completely random, totally surprising lucky guess."

Emily opened the door to The Grille as she and Paige walked in. She kissed her on the cheek walking up to the hostess stand. "Well, either way, thank you for making reservations…thank you for everything, Paige."

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Their dinner orders placed, the girls sat in a booth towards a quiet back corner of the restaurant. They sat side-by-side. You couldn't have squeezed a piece of paper between them if you'd tried.

Paige gently rubbed her thumb over Emily's hand that rested on top of the table. Emily turned a little in her seat to better talk to Paige with direct eye contact. "My mom got me a little worried when she told me this morning that you weren't coming to pick me up." She looked down at their hands. "I'll admit that I panicked for a second."

Paige traced a heart over the top of Emily's hand without realizing that's what she was doing. "I'd have never stood you up, Em. I just needed some help getting the scavenger hunt started."

"I know. It was kind of funny actually when I realized what was going on. I had a lot of fun today."

"It wasn't too much," Paige asked with a hint of shyness. Truthfully, Emily found it endearing when this side of Paige came out. The vulnerable, open side of Paige that only Emily really gets to see.

"Not at all! I loved it! How did you even come up with the idea?" She nudged Paige's shoulder then. "And why didn't you tell me you are an amateur poet?"

Paige tilted her head back in a loud laugh. "Because I'm not! But I'm glad you liked it. The idea hit me when I was trying to think about what I could do for us for Valentine's Day. I started thinking about all of the great things we've done together and," Paige fanned her arm out as if to reveal a trick, "there you go. The scavenger hunt happened. I had a lot of fun today too."

"Oh yeah," Emily said, remembering she had not asked Paige about her day so far. "What did you to today while I was busy reliving our greatest hits?"

Paige playfully poked Emily in the ribs. "I was trying to stay one step ahead of you all day. I didn't want anyone messing with the notes if I'd left them out too long so basically I spent the day racing from location to location."

"Where were you when I got back to The Brew for that last clue?"

"Sabrina helped me out there. She hid me in that closet down the back hallway towards the stairs to Toby's loft. When you went back to your locker she texted me so I could head that way."

"And then you asked me to be your Valentine," Emily said with a huge smile on her face.

"And you said 'yes,'" Paige said with just as big a smile on her face.

Just then their waiter came to check on them and see if he could get them anything else. Noticing their plates were nearly he empty he asked, "Would you like anything for dessert?"

Paige looked over at Emily in question. "No thank you," Emily answered the waiter.

As he turned to leave, Paige made sure. "We can get something if you want, Em. It's ok."

Emily shook her head biting the corner of her bottom lip. She raised an eyebrow at Paige. "How about dessert at my house instead?"

"But won't your parents…"

"My dad made dinner reservations in Philadelphia tonight. They won't be home for quite a while."

Paige suddenly had a very strong affection for Mr. Fields having known this bit of information. "Dessert sounds great! You know how much I _love_ dessert."

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Emily and Paige walked into the dark, quiet house noticing that they were indeed all alone. Paige started kissing along the column of Emily's neck as soon as Emily sat her purse and house keys on the table in the foyer.

Emily gently pushed at Paige's shoulders to get her to slow the pace some. She kissed Paige's soft lips. They were still cool from the cold February air and the brief walk up the footpath from the driveway.

Paige looked up at Emily with her big brown eyes full of want and now hesitation. "Dessert?"

"Soon," Emily agreed nodding her head in confirmation. "Why don't you go up to my room and get comfortable?"

Paige made her way up the stairs while Emily walked through the dark hallway towards her parents' home office.

Emily picked up the wrapped package from the top of the desk. It was wrapped in red paper and had a large white bow taped to the top. She fastened a tag near the bow with Paige's name written in neat script.

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Paige was propped up against Emily's headboard when Emily walked in to her bedroom. Paige had left all of the lights off except the small lamp on the bedside table.

Emily walked up to the bed and sat on the edge facing Paige. She handed the wrapped package to her. "Happy Valentine's Day, Paige."

Paige sat up straighter as she accepted the gift from her girlfriend. "Em, we weren't supposed to get gifts for each other." That was true; they had decided not to gift gifts since they were just in high school after all and neither had much available "slush" funds.

"You did that whole scavenger hunt for me, which took time and money and you took me out for dinner. Please, open it," she urged Paige, pushing on the wrapped package in her girlfriends hands.

Paige bounced the package in her hands. There was surprising heft to it. "What is it," she asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

Emily swatted her leg. "I'm not telling. You'll have to open it to find out."

Paige began tearing away the red paper. Once all of the paper was fully removed she held a large wooden frame made of dark-stained old barn wood. There were three 5x7 pictures framed in glass on one side and across from each picture was a note also framed in glass. Paige could tell that the notes were written by Emily.

"It's beautiful, Em." She leaned over the frame to kiss Emily. "It looks like it cost a lot of money though."

"It's ok; it didn't," Emily reassured her. "The wood is from Spencer's barn renovation and Toby put it all together. I added the pictures and notes after."

Emily brushed her fingers along the course wood. She really loved how the project turned out. The old barn wood gave a homemade, from the heart feel. "You know, with it being Valentine's Day, I just wanted to give you something that kind of explains what our love means to me. What you mean to me."

Emily looked down and pointed at the first picture. It was a profile shot of she and Paige sitting on the dock of the Love Shack when the whole group had gotten together over there. Emily was leaning back against Paige. Paige had her chin resting on Emily's shoulder. They were both wrapped in a large beach towel. You could see a content smile on both girls' faces. "This one is kind of about security."

Paige looked down to the picture that Emily was pointing to. She remembered that day well. In fact, if she thought about it now, she could almost still feel the sun on her face and Emily's body pressed up against her. She looked at the note across from the picture. _"I know that no matter what comes my way, your way, or our way in the future, we'll face it together with our love guiding the way."_

Paige was speechless. Emily then pointed to the next picture. It was of the two of them sitting at a table in The Brew. They both had coffee mugs and blueberry muffins sitting between them. Spread out on the table was school books; this was taken by Aria towards the beginning of school when they had just started dating. Resting in the free space on the side of the table, their hands were joined by the lacing of their fingers together. "Homework date, remember," Emily asked Paige.

Paige nodded her head. How could she forget? If she were asked, she could recall most everything about her and Emily. Paige read the note accompanying the picture. " _From simple beginnings, come simple loves stories. Ours is one that I look forward to playing out."_

Paige sat as Emily continued to explain the last picture and the corresponding note. The picture was taken when Hanna, Caleb, Emily and Paige had gone on a hike in a nearby park. Hanna was incorrigible that day. There were too many bugs, it was too dirty, it was hot, there were strange noises…Paige pulled Emily ahead of Hanna and Caleb to get away from Hanna's whines. The two girls laughed as they remembered Hanna's antics that day and the empathy they'd felt for Caleb having to put up with it. Hanna did redeem herself when she snapped this picture on her phone though. Emily and Paige held hands as they walked ahead on the trail. The note with that picture said, _"And so today, my heart it smiles. Your hand in mind, we walk the miles. Thanks to you it will be done, for you to me are the only one."_

"Where is this quote from," Paige asked, looking up at Emily. She could tell that this particular note may have been felt in sentiment by Emily, but it was not written in her own words. "It's great."

Emily laughed to herself. "You'll never guess."

"No doubt some sort of brainiac scholar." Emily shook her head. "No?"

"Not exactly. It's from Led Zepplin."

"Well, brainiacs in their own right, or something," Paige teased.

Emily raised the back of the barn wood frame. "I had Toby add some hooks on the back so you can hang it if you want."

Paige took the frame from Emily's hands and sat it gingerly on the floor so it wouldn't fall off of the bed. She pulled Emily onto her lap and kissed her eagerly yet with undeniable tenderness. "Thanks, Em. I love it. And I love you."

Emily wrapped her hands around Paige's neck. "You're welcome. I love you too."

Paige brushed her fingers along the top Emily's legs. "I think you said something about dessert earlier?"

"Right. You want some ice cream?"

Paige shook her head no and kissed along Emily's jaw line.

"Pie?"

Paige reached a hand under Emily's shirt and skirted her fingertips over the tight abdominals. Again, she shook her head no.

Emily's breathing grew faster and somewhat erratic. She had to concentrate to keep her questions going. "Chocolate cake?"

Paige moved long raven colored locks from Emily's neck. She began kissing and nipping the sensitive skin.

"Chee- cheesecake," Emily asked again, this time barely getting the word out. They both knew exactly what kind of "dessert" Emily was talking about at the restaurant but the game they were playing now was delicious as well.

"Nu, huh," Paige said between kisses.

"Then what do you want," Emily asked with a hitch as she stretched her neck to give Paige more access. She'd give Paige anything right now. Anything at all.

Paige guided her lips towards Emily's ear. "You," she whispered as her hot breath tickled Emily's skin. "I want to taste every inch of your body."

The hand that had made its way up Emily's shirt now began kneading her right breast through the lacy bra her girlfriend wore.

"Please. Yes."

Paige stopped to bunch the hem of Emily's shirt in both fists and swiftly pulled it up and over her head. She ran her hands through Emily's soft, wavy tresses pulling her closer again. She claimed her mouth in a soul searching kiss.

The way their kisses felt was pure magic. It went beyond the physicality of a kiss. Their kisses weren't simply lips caressing another set of pillowy soft lips. Not just smooth, searching tongues dancing together in perfect rhythm. It was emotions and love played out in the coming together of two people meant for each other. That's what took their breaths away each time they joined together in this way.

Paige removed Emily's bra. She wrapped her arms around Emily's back and fanned her fingers across Emily's shoulder blades to hold her in place. She latched her lips around one of Emily's breasts. Her tongue swirled around the tip causing Emily to gasp loudly. She bit down enough to graze the flesh with her teeth before sucking and removing her mouth with a barely audible "pop."

After giving the other breast the same attention, Paige eased Emily from her lap and gently guided her down flat on her back. She was careful so as not to make Emily bump her head on the footboard. Paige leaned over Emily staring lovingly into her eyes. She was going to enjoy every second of this. They both were.

Emily reached up, brushing Paige's cheek and tucked fallen hair behind Paige's ear. Paige reached for Emily's hand and gently kissed the palm and then her wrist. She straddled Emily's waist and stretched for the other hand. Leaning up Emily's shirtless torso, Paige wrapped Emily's fingers around the iron rails and gave a short squeeze. Emily answered the silent plea. She grabbed hold firmly; the cool metal heated with the warmth of her hands, and waited for the pleasure that was sure to come.

Paige slowly dragged her fingertips down the underside of Emily's strong arms, skated along the sides of her waist and tickled the skin where Emily's hips crested the top of her jeans. She dipped the pad of one finger below the waistband on each side and seductively brought both fingers together at the button of the jeans. With a flourish she popped the button and tick-by-tick lowered the zipper.

To make up for the momentary lack of skin-on-skin contact, Paige brought her lips to just above the popped button. She placed one feather-light kiss then ran the flat of her tongue up to Emily's bellybutton before quickly dipping the tip in. She blew a cool breath along the path of moisture left behind.

Emily groaned from the quickly escalating desire building in her body and the absence of Paige where she needed her most. She was grasping the iron rails so tightly that her knuckles were turning white and her arms began to tremble.

Paige smiled to herself as she shimmied down Emily's body a little lower. She gave a tug to Emily's jeans to get them down past her hips on the way. She knew this was exquisitely torturous and pleasure filled all at the same time for Emily. She wanted to strike the right balance. Not wait too long but make it last just long enough.

Paige pulled the jeans off first then removed the socks Emily wore under her black calf-high boots that day. Her fingers trailed a swirling, unpredictable pattern from the tips of Emily's toes up to the hem of her matching lace panties. On the way up, she pressed against Emily's center just enough to encourage Emily's hips off the bed seeking more contact. She was more than ready for Paige and the wetness was there to prove it.

Removing the final barrier to Emily's full nakedness, Paige hooked a finger under the hem of the panties at each hip and slowly pulled them down the length of Emily's legs. Kisses followed the path the lace made downward.

Paige sat back on her heels. Emily was breathing hard now. Her chest rose and fell rapidly. Her hands were wrapped tightly around the metal bedposts. Her luscious caramel-colored skin and dark hair was gorgeous against the cream backdrop of the comforter. "You're so beautiful, Em."

What she got in response was a hoarse reply of her name leaving Emily's plumped up lips.

Paige blindly reached for a pillow behind her. She made her way back up Emily's body and tucked the pillow under her head.

Emily didn't move her hands as Paige approached. She did however, lean up to capture Paige's lips in a scorching kiss.

Gasping for air once released, Paige whispered, "I love you," as she began her descent down Emily's body. Her fingers claimed flesh that she knew would always be hers. Her lips mapped out the contours of Emily's body that she'd come to know so well. And as her tongue gloriously, finally reached its ultimate destination, she got a heavenly taste of what she had been craving all night long.

 **A/N 2: Before I wrote this chapter I had to do a quick skim-through of my own story to wrap my head around it again. When I got to Ch. 25 I thought "Ah, hell. How am I gonna continue their Valentine's and top what Paige did?" Backed myself into one tight corner there, y'all. Then I decided I can't top it and I'll just write "something," which honestly is what I do anyway so I guess it was really no different. I'm glad y'all liked the scavenger hunt last chapter. That was fun to write. Next update hopefully won't take as long as this one to get to. Until then… I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	27. Chapter 27

**Here you go Dinosaurfan…workin' in your fun little scene prompt. And since I've not seen "Buffy" I'm hoping this works. ;)**

 **And y'all, sorry for the update delay…again. But I wanted to update with something so here is a fun, semi-short chapter.**

 **Chapter 27**

It was an uncharacteristically warm Saturday this first week of March. Just one week ago there was snow on the ground, albeit, nothing more than a few inches. Still, kids and adults alike were more than ready to enjoy the sun and some outdoor fun while they could get it. You never knew if you'd be in snow again by this time next week.

The state park on the outskirts of Rosewood was packed with families and groups of friends out enjoying the weather and breaking free from the confines of their homes. Riley had sent a group text that morning asking the girls and their dates to drop whatever their plans were for the day in lieu of meeting at the park instead. They all readily agreed, decided to pack up food for a picnic lunch, gather up some fun outdoor activities, and meet within the hour.

On one of Paige's Saturday morning runs through the park she came across a secluded clearing off the beaten path. She suggested that as the meeting spot. She assumed correctly that not many people knew about it and with the nice weather, the park would probably be overrun with like-minded folks. Going to this spot would allow them more space and a chance to do their own thing without worrying about other people.

Emily found an old portable volleyball net in her garage that they used to set-up at Fields family reunions. It hadn't been used in years but a quick glance showed that was still in good enough shape to take to the park. A quick stop to the sports store for a volleyball when Paige picked her up and they were all set.

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Toby volunteered to help Emily set up the volleyball net once they all arrived. They were anchoring the poles into the ground while everyone unloaded the blankets, food and various other belongings. Well, almost everyone; Hanna was lying on her back on a blanket, face turned to the sun soaking up the warm rays.

"Hanna, you could be helping us, you know," Spencer shouted as she carried a heavy load in both arms.

Hanna lifted her head just enough to see Spencer over the top of her Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses. "It's sunny, Spence. I need my vitamin A. I've spent all winter without it." She reasoned that that explanation was better than the real one: she just wanted a tan.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "D, Han."

Hanna propped herself up on her elbows and took her sunglasses off. Spencer dropped the bundle in her arms near the foot of Hanna's blanket. "D what," Hanna asked, looking up at Spencer.

"It's not A. It's D; like 'D' as in your Biology grade, apparently. Your body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sun."

Hanna shrugged her shoulders and lay back down. "Either way, I need all the vitamin letters I got."

Toby and Emily were close enough that they could hear the entire exchange between the two friends. They couldn't help but laugh. Spencer and Hanna could not be more different and still, they were as close as two friends could be.

"Leave it to Spence to correct Hanna about vitamin conversion in the sun. Does she ever turn it off," Emily asked Toby from down the length of the net. "Like, what are your date nights like?"

Toby laughed out loud. "The first time I beat Spencer in Scrabble I thought she would either kill me or kiss me. It could have gone either way. Her competiveness is something I both admire and fear in equal measure. Just wait until she goes up for a spike across this net."

Emily shook her head. "Nope. Why do think I brought a volleyball net?" Toby shook his head not knowing. "Because it's one of the only sports that Spencer _doesn't_ play."

Toby laughed along with Emily. "Good thinking. We might all stand a chance." Then he thought for a moment. "Paige is competitive too though. So what are your date nights like?"

Emily shot Toby a mischievous grin. "We can be competitive too." She waited a beat. "But we don't play Scrabble."

Toby gave her a questioning look to which she offered only half smile in return. Their fun and games would stay between her and Paige.

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Paige sat sprawled out on the ground, head tilted back with a paper towel pinched to her nose to stave off the blood flow. Riley sat next to her ready with more should Paige need them. Her sister looked pretty miserable. In fact, Riley felt a tickle in her own nose just looking at Paige. Whether it was that twin ESP thing or just her brain reacting to the pain she saw; like when a friend yawns and you yawn too for no reason, she wasn't sure. All she knew was Paige needed the help and Emily couldn't stand the blood, so here she was.

Spencer walked up tossing a baggie full of ice in her hands. "Um, here," she said handing the baggie to Paige.

Paige reached blindly for the baggie, finally connecting with it once Spencer placed it directly into her outstretched hand. "Gee, thanks, Spence." It came out nasally with her nose pinched like that but still, there was a touch of bitterness and edge in her tone.

"I said I was sorry!"

Paige pulled the paper towel from her nose. She couldn't talk with it like that. Her eyes were still a little watery but she focused them like a laser beam on Spencer anyway. "I called you off! When I say 'I got it," that means _I. Got. It_!"

Riley braced for the showdown between her sister and her cousin. She had the feeling there would be many more moments like this in their future.

Spencer crossed her arms while straightening her posture. "I had the better angle. That's pretty evident considering you ended up hitting the ball into the net."

"I hit the ball into the net 'cause you cold-cocked me in the face when you went for the ball too," Paige ground out.

Riley put her hand on Paige's shoulder to stop her ranting then turned her gaze to Spencer. "And here I thought you two being on the same team would be a better alternative. It's just a game and it was an accident, right Spence?"

"It wasn't my-"

Riley had had enough. Spencer was being ridiculous. Besides, no one got to hurt her sister, even if it was another member of her family. She stood up, repeating her question with authority. " _Right,_ Spencer?" Her cousin could be so damn stubborn sometimes. And this time, at least, Paige had not egged her on.

Spencer looked to the ground kicking at an imaginary rock. "Right," she mumbled. She looked back up to Paige who was already gaining some bruising under her eyes. "I really am sorry, Paige. You better put that ice on there." She ran her finger along the bridge of her own nose. "You're already turning purple. Not a good look," she added quickly before sprinting away before Paige could get up to retaliate.

Paige looked at Riley with a pouty face. "Is it bad?"

On one hand, Riley wanted to be honest with Paige. On the other hand, she didn't want to start WWIII between her sister and her cousin. "It's not that bad." She reached for Paige's hand that was holding the ice and pulled it up to place gently on her nose. "But let's get that ice on there…just in case."

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After the injury timeout was called on the volleyball game they decided it was best to go ahead and eat lunch. Riley and Justin picked up a couple of roasted chickens at the grocery store on their way to the park. Everyone else brought drinks or side items like salad, fruit, veggies and chips.

Aria and Blake shared a large blanket with Spencer and Toby. Hanna and Caleb shared with Riley and Justin. Emily and Paige had their own large blanket so that Paige could spread out and have enough room to keep her head tilted back if she needed to.

Justin stayed busy pulling apart the chickens while everyone else dished up the side items. Riley helped him out by offering a plate to him to set the pieces on as he carved. "Who wants what," she asked the group as she and Justin continued to plate up the chicken.

"I want the legs," Toby shouted out handing his plate over to Riley.

"I'm good with wings," Caleb replied as he pulled a bottle of hot sauce out of the bag he and Hanna brought with them.

"Ummm, I don't eat meat off of a bone," Hanna stated as if that were the worst thing in the world. She looked at the roasted chicken in front of Justin like it was going to jump off the plate and come after her. She refused to accept the plate that Riley was passing in her direction.

Caleb reached for it, "Here, I'll take it off for you." Toby imitated flashing a whip in the air, aiming it in Caleb's direction. "Shut up, man," Caleb said with a roll of his eyes.

"I'm a breast girl," Emily yelled out, maybe a little too loudly. Every head swiveled in her direction.

The guys snickered. The girls looked back-and-forth between each other as small smiles broke out amongst them. Spencer whooped, "I'll be you are!" Everyone laughed along when Spencer called her out. She couldn't help it when she checked out Paige's chest on the sly.

Emily blushed and shoved her plate towards Riley and Justin. "That's not what I meant!"

"Yeah, Em is an abs girl. I mean have you _seen_ Paige's?" Hanna stretched across her blanket reaching for the hem of Paige's shirt. Paige swiftly swatted the offending hand away.

Aria looked between both Emily and Paige. You could clearly see that there wasn't a thing about Paige that Emily didn't love. "Maybe Em is a Paige girl."

"Yeah." Emily bent down to kiss Paige. She angled her head enough that she wouldn't risk bumping into Paige's still sensitive nose. "I'm a Paige girl."

 **A/N: We haven't see much of the other girls or any Paige/Riley interactions for a few chapters so I figured it was high time I get them back in here.**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Emily sat in her living room with her duffle bag and a carry-on case. While most of her friends had packed up that week for spring break, she was packed up for her official visit with the Penn State swim team.

"Emily, make sure you call me when you get there. Call, not text," Pam instructed her daughter.

"For the tenth time, I will. I'll call you as soon as we get to campus," Emily assured her mother. "Besides, it's not like I'm going by myself."

"Who is driving? Paige or Riley?"

They'd already been through this multiple times. Emily didn't get why her mom was going on and on. "Paige. She and Riley should be here any minute. They are due to meet with the field hockey coach around the same time as I'm due to the natatorium."

Pam fixed her eyes on Emily. The look meant _pay attention to every word I'm about to say._ "Don't let the coaches or anyone on the team pressure you, Emmy. If you don't like the campus, the team or the coaches, well…you just don't worry about it. You don't have to go to Penn." She hesitated before her next point. "No matter who else decides to go there."

"Mooooom."

"Now I meant it, Emily. Choosing where to spend the next four years is your decision to make. It doesn't matter if you swim, where your friends go to school, where your girlfriend goes to school. It only matters what is best for you. You and Paige can still be together without being at the same school or even the same state." Emily started to protest before Pam held her hand up to stop her. "And you know I love Paige but this isn't about her. It is about you."

"I know, I know." But Emily also inwardly knew that spending four years away from Paige is not something she intended to let happen. Neither one of them did. They could see to it that all things fell together as they deemed necessary.

"And don't you sign anything. The coaches can give you a letter of intent in person on this visit but you don't do a thing until you've show it to your father and I for discussion."

Emily didn't hold back the eye roll on this one. "They aren't going to go around you and dad. They know the rules. Besides, it's not valid without parent signature anyway. I don't know why you are making this such a big deal. I just want to go on this visit, check out the campus, the natatorium and see what I think about the team. This is as much for me as it is the coaches."

Pam nodded her head. She knew Emily was looking forward to the few days she would be spending on campus. She didn't want to diminish the experience, but still, sending your high school daughter to a college campus is a big deal to a parent. It's scary. "And I know you'll only be there a few days, but don't let your swim team host take you to any of those big house parties." There, she said it. Emily wouldn't like it, but she'd put it out there.

 _That_ was not a promise Emily would make. What did her mom expect her to do? Tell the girls her mommy told her she couldn't go? Nuh, uh. Not going to happen. Besides, it's all part of the experience. If those opportunities came up she wouldn't turn them down.

Luckily, a knock at the door ended the conversation before her mom could prompt Emily for an answer or confirmation. "That's Paige. I'll get the door." She nearly ran to it.

Paige stepped into the foyer when Emily opened the door and gave her a quick peck on the cheek. "Hey, you ready?"

"Yeah," Emily said looked back to the living room. "Just let me grab my bags."

Paige followed Emily further into the house. When she saw Pam, Paige offered a wave. "Hi, Pam."

"Hi, Paige. You look out for my Emmy, OK?"

"I will. Hopefully at some point we'll be able to hook up this week." Pam arched brow at Paige. "N-not _hook up_ , hook up. I mean, you know, meet up. Hang out."

"Mmmhmm," Pam said. She stood and followed both girls to the door. Emily wrapped her in a big hug. "Be careful, honey. I love you."

"I will, mom. Love you too. I'll call you when we get to campus."

Pam then moved to hug Paige. "You be careful too, Paige. I hope you enjoy the time with Penn's field hockey team. I think it's great you and Riley could arrange your visit when Emily was having hers with the swim team."

"Me too," Paige said. She gave Pam an extra squeeze. "We'll be careful."

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Paige popped the trunk so Emily could put her bags in the back. Riley started to get out of the passenger seat to let Paige sit by her girlfriend. Emily stopped her as she walked back around the car. "You can sit up front, Riley." Emily didn't want Riley thinking that the seat was reserved for her as Paige's girlfriend. There was room for both of them to have significance in Paige's life.

"Ok, cool," Riley said. This was a good sign. Part of Riley wondered what life might be like for the three of them if they were to all attend Penn. Would Riley be the third wheel? If this was any indication, no, she wouldn't be.

Paige looked to the back seat as she pulled out of Emily's driveway. "Your mom kinda looked like she was fixin' ta cry."

Emily had seen the moisture glistening in her mom's eyes as well. She was surprised to see it. She was just going away for a few days. It was no different than when Rosewood's team travelled to weekend tournaments. It wasn't as if Emily had never been gone from home before. "Yeah, I noticed that."

Riley turned in her seat, looking back to Emily. "My mom got a little emotional too. Said something about me spreading my wings and leaving the nest."

"We are only going to be gone for a few days. Like an away meet or something," Emily commented.

Paige piped up. "Yeah but it's different this time. We're coming back home at the end of this visit but this is the sign of what is to come, I think, for our parents. By the fall we'll be out of the house and living hours away from them."

Riley turned back in her seat to face forward. The car grew silent as all girls thought about the truth of Paige's statement. Emily looked through her window. She had not thought of it that way, not yet anyway. It's true, exciting things were headed her way but the reality of the situation was that she was leaving home, leaving her _home,_ and living for months at a time without her parents. That was a somewhat sobering thought. The independence was thrilling and frightening at the same time.

After several long moments Riley couldn't take the silence anymore. She grabbed Paige's phone. "Is your Bluetooth paired with the car audio?"

"Yeah," Paige answered without taking her eyes off the road.

"Good," Riley said. "We need to get some road trippin' music going. Liven this car up a bit." She thumbed through Paige's song list and found one to kick things off. Riley bobbed her head to the beat as "I Gotta Feeling" by the Black Eyed Peas started playing.

By the second time the lyrics "that tonight's gonna be a good night" came around, Riley had replaced them with "that this week's gonna be a good time." Her enthusiasm was contagious and soon the car was filled with the voices of Emily, Paige and Riley belting out the song with their subbed-in lyrics.

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The drive to State College seemed shorter than expected. But then when you're singing along in a car and having fun time is only measured by the length of the songs. The three girls went their separate ways; Emily to the natatorium to meet Coach Wilson and Paige and Riley to meet Coach Porter in the field hockey training facility. It was pretty well understood that the Rosewood girls were there to meet with their prospective teams and coaches, not to hang out with each other for their few days on campus.

Emily knocked on the door next to a nameplate for Coach Wilson affixed to the wall. She noticed a girl with long blonde hair sitting in the chair opposite the coach's desk.

Coach Wilson looked up and smiled. "Emily, glad you made it," he said, getting up from his chair and rounding the desk.

Emily looked to the back of the blonde head sitting in the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt."

Coach waved her off. "Nah, this is Peyton; your host for the visit."

Upon hearing her name, the girl stood and turned to Emily. She walked towards Emily with her arm outstretched to shake Emily's hand. "Welcome to Penn, Emily. Coach has told me a lot about you."

"Thanks," Emily said, adjusting the strap on her duffle bag. "I'm excited to be here this week. Penn is a great school with an even better swim program."

"We think so," Coach Wilson said with unguarded pride.

Peyton reached for the strap on Emily's shoulder, relieving her of one of the bags. "Why don't we head to my dorm to get you settled?" Emily nodded her head. "We'll meet you back here soon coach."

The first few minutes of the walk to Peyton's dorm were relatively quiet. Neither girl knew quite how to begin a conversation. Emily decided to be proactive and break the silence. "So how did you get stuck with a recruit this week?"

Peyton smiled at Emily. Her grin met her bright blue eyes. "I wouldn't call it 'stuck' exactly. Coach asked me if I'd be willing. I'm a sophomore so we're not too far apart in age, and I'm an Education major which he said you're interested in." She shrugged her shoulders. "I guess it just made sense."

"Thanks for agreeing to host me," Emily said. "So where are you from?"

"Arizona. Sedona, actually. And you're from in-state?"

Emily nodded her head in agreement. "Mmmmhmm. Rosewood. It's a small town a few hours from here." She regarded Peyton in her periphery for a second. "You're pretty far from home."

"Yeah, it's definitely not a quick trip to make it back. You ever been?" She watched as Emily shook her head. "You should some time. It's beautiful and there's so much to do. If you're the outdoorsy type like me, you'd love it. Horseback riding in the canyons is awesome. And hiking in Red Rock State Park should be on everyone's to-do list at some time in their life. You'd never see anything like it again."

"Sounds great."

"Don't get me wrong. I like it out here, too. It's just a very different part of the country as opposed to where I grew up. I love it here at Penn State, though. I definitely made the right decision."

"How much did Coach pay you to say that to me," Emily teased.

"I threw that one in for free," Peyton said with a wink. She stopped just outside of what seemed to be a fairly good sized dorm. "This is us," Peyton said, pointing up at the building.

Emily and Peyton took the elevator to the 4th floor, stopping at room 406. Peyton unlocked the door and ushered Emily inside. The room wasn't cracker box small but it wasn't big either. There were two desks, two twin beds, two closets and a small refrigerator near the windows with a microwave sitting on top. Both beds had been modified, Emily guessed they had anyway. They were both lifted onto bunks that sat on opposite walls. Under one bunk was a brown micro suede futon. Under the other bunk was a fairly good size television sitting on a console.

Peyton gestured to the bed with the TV below it. "That bed is yours for the few days you're here. Go ahead and make yourself at home."

"What about your roommate," Emily asked as she looked around the room.

"No roomie. I did have one up until a few weeks ago. She transferred down south though. It's only a matter of time before I get assigned a new one."

Emily sat her stuff down and started to unpack a few of her things. She checked to make sure all of her swim gear was in the duffle as she had packed it before leaving Rosewood.

Peyton pointed to Emily's duffle. "You ready to head back to coach?"

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Paige and Riley walked around the weight and conditioning room the women's field hockey team uses. So far, both girls were really impressed with the schools facilities. Thus far they had been shown the pitch, the locker rooms and now the training facility. One thing was clear. The coaching staff did not mess around. It was also clear though that they had good relationships with the team members. There was a mutual respect there that was evident.

Paige and Riley were being hosted by the same player, a freshman named Victoria. That's how coach introduced her at first anyway. The girl was quick to offer her nickname up: Tori. Tori seemed like a pretty cool girl based off of first impressions. She plays midfield like Riley and is from Columbus, Ohio. Paige could picture Tori and Riley becoming pretty good friends. They were hitting it off already.

Riley and Paige would be sharing space in Tori's quad unit in one of the freshman dorms. Two of her roommates offered to stay with their friends to make room for the out-of-town recruits. The other roommate, Becca, is on the basketball team. Paige and Riley had not met her yet but Tori assured them she was cool.

After a long while Coach Porter excused herself from the two recruits and Tori suggesting that Tori take Paige and Riley on a tour of campus. "It'll give them a chance to see what all Penn State has to offer," she said.

Tori took them on a walking tour of the most important areas of interest. Finally, her curiosity won out and she asked the girls the one question that had been on her mind about them. "So…I thought I overheard Coach say something about you two being sisters."

Paige and Riley looked back and forth between each other. That was unexpected. "Yeah, we're sisters," Riley confirmed.

"Like half sisters or something?"

"No. We're full sisters." _It sounds weird that way_ Riley thought to herself. "Twins, actually."

Tori squinted her emerald green eyes in confusion. With her chestnut colored, shoulder length hair, the brightness of her eyes really stood out. "But you have different last names." _And you look nothing alike_ she added under her breath.

 _Aaaaand here we go_ Paige thought. Paige really had not considered that with new groups of people meant further explanation of her relation to Riley. "It's kinda a long story," she began. "The abbreviated version is that Riley and I were reunited this year and have been inseparable since." There, that sounded OK and it was true.

Tori shrugged her shoulders. She was curious but she wasn't going to pry. "Well that's nice." Tori's phone dinged in her back pocket. She pulled it out and read the incoming text. Looking back up to her recruits with a smile she asked, "You two feel like meeting some of the other girls on the team for dinner?"

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emily discreetly looked down to her phone from under the table at the pizza place she and Peyton had met a few other swimmers at for dinner.

The text was from Paige. **How was Fields takes Penn State day 1?**

Emily smiled and tapped out a quick reply. **Really good. Eating dinner. And how about the McCullers-Hastings dynamic duo?**

 **We're at dinner too. Riley says "hi" btw.**

Emily knew the next day would be another full day but she hoped she might be able to see Paige at some point. **Meeting with an advisor at the school of ed tomorrow. What are you doing?**

Paige and Riley were spending time similarly tomorrow. **Same. I'm at the school of ag tomorrow. Riley is at the school of engineering.**

Emily next sent a frowny face emoji. **I miss you. Maybe we'll get to hook up tomorrow. And I mean the way you explained to my mom…and the way you** _ **actually**_ **meant.**

Paige took a long sip of the cold water sitting in front of her. **A girl can only dream. I gotta go. I think I've been caught. Love you.**

 **Love you too.**

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next day was pretty long and not near as interesting as the first day when Emily got to spend most of her day at the natatorium and Paige and Riley got to spend the day at the pitch. Still, checking out their prospective schools of interest was important. They asked all the right questions through the day and soaked up as much information as they could.

It wasn't until almost 6 o'clock that night that Paige and Emily were able to touch base. Paige picked up the call from her girlfriend on the first ring. "Hey, Em."

"Hey." Emily had to admit that she was pretty glad to hear Paige's voice. It was kind of strange to be on the same campus and not have seen each other or spent any time together. "What are you guys doing tonight?"

"I think we might be going to a house party some of the basketball players are having."

"Awesome! We are too!" That was one aspect of the week that Emily definitely would not be sharing with her mom.

"Thank God," Paige said with a sigh. "I ran up to like three girls today on campus that I thought were you. They weren't, by the way."

Emily laughed into the phone. "Wish I could have seen that."

"Yeah, well…Riley got a pretty good laugh out of it."

"I'll see you later then?"

"Can't wait, Em."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The house was practically bursting at the seams with underage partiers who either didn't have fake ID's or were too scared to use them. Everyone else of age would be hanging out at one of the many college bars near campus.

It took awhile but Paige finally spotted Emily in the crowded kitchen. She was leaning up against the counter holding a red Solo cup. A tall blonde girl was leaning dangerously close to her girlfriend's face talking and laughing.

Paige walked up to them with Riley, Tori and Becca in tow. "Hey, Em," she said as she got within a few feet of the two girls.

Emily turned around and smiled brightly at the group. "Paige! You made it." She gestured to Peyton beside her. "This is my host, Peyton."

Paige reached to shake Peyton's hand, which she did…with a rather firm grip. "Hey Peyton, nice to meet you."

Becca leaned forward towards Paige, speaking loudly to the group. "Doesn't she have the cutest little accent? Like she says Peyt-un instead of Pey-ton." Paige rolled her eyes. Becca was drunk and creeping towards stage five clinger status. "Say 'y'all' again," Paige heard Becca request.

Riley stepped back watching everything unfold. She was just waiting for the shit to hit the fan.

Peyton whispered to Emily. "I think Becca likes your friend."

 _The hell she does!_ Emily wanted to scream.

Paige took care of it for her. "Why don't _y'all_ hang out while Emily and I hit the dance floor." She wasted no time in leading Emily. Once there, she pulled their bodies snugly together.

"So…Peyton…"

"So…Becca…"

They looked into each other's eyes and started laughing. "What do you say we send a pretty clear message," Emily suggested.

"I say I like the way you think."

And so they spent the rest of the night dancing; their hands groping body parts that a person only comes to know intimately. Their make out sessions on the dance floor nearly set the room ablaze. It was pretty clear for all to understand: Emily Fiends, swimming recruit and Paige McCullers, field hockey recruit were a package deal. There wasn't any circumstance or any person who would be able to change that. Ever.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

 _Tap…tap-tap…tap-tap-tap…tap_

 _Tap…tap-tap…tap-tap-tap…tap_

 _Tap…tap-tap…tap-tap-tap…tap_

Riley stretched across the dining room table to smother Paige's hand with her own. "Stop!"

Paige looked up from her History book. She was trying to take notes from the chapter that had been assigned for homework but so far had not been able to concentrate. "What?"

Riley grabbed the pen from Paige's hand and began exaggeratedly tapping it hard against her own notebook. _TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP-TAP_ "This! Stop doing this! Tapping. You're tapping non-stop."

"Sorry. Jeez. I didn't realize I was doing it."

Riley closed her Physics book. Paige clearly had something on her mind that wasn't at all related to World History. "You do that when you are nervous. I've noticed. What's up?"

Paige heaved a sigh as she closed her History book and pushed it away. Studying was not going to happen at this point. "Emily got a thick envelope from Penn State last week."

"I know, you told me already. Did she open it?"

Paige shook her head. "She wants to open ours together."

Riley smiled. "The girl has willpower, I'll give her that. I'd have ripped the thing open by now. It's nice of her to wait for you though."

Paige's head drooped and her eyes shifted to the table. "She might be waiting indefinitely."

"Paige, you are going to get an offer from Penn. Is that what the tapping is about? You're worried that you haven't gotten an offer packet yet?" Paige nodded her head. "I haven't gotten one either but that doesn't mean they won't be sending it, or that it's not on its way here now."

Paige looked up to her sister. "Are you sure you haven't gotten anything yet? You're not just hiding it from me so I won't feel bad?"

"I literally just told you if I had gotten a letter I'd have ripped it open by now. So no, I really haven't received anything yet. But I'm not worried. What is worrying going to do to help?"

Paige did not want to think about a scenario in which Emily got into Penn State and she didn't. It would be the worst of any "what if" situation they had dreamt up. Riley had a point though. What is worrying going to do to help the situation? It will only make the wait that much more agonizing. She resolved herself to stay strong and think only positive thoughts. _Conceive, believe, achieve:_ it was a simple mantra _._ She, Emily and Riley _conceived_ the idea of all three of them going to Penn State. Paige _believed_ it would happen. She knew they had done all they could to _achieve_ the desired result.

Paige opened the cast-away History book to the correct page. "You're right," she told Riley. "Thanks for the pep talk. Can I please have my pen back?" She held her hand out for the writing utensil.

"You may…," Riley started to place the pen into Paige's hand then quickly pulled back. "…but if I hear one single tap I'm taking it back and duct-taping your hands together." She smiled wide at her sister and cocked her head to the side. "And I'm glad I could help. That's what sisters are for."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Paige answered her cell when she saw a call coming in from Riley. She had just pulled into her driveway when she heard the ringtone assigned to her sister. It was "It Takes Two" by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock. Riley snuck Paige's phone a while back and assigned that ringtone to herself without Paige's knowledge. Paige decided she liked it so kept it as is.

"Have you checked your mail today," Riley asked as soon as Paige answered.

"No. I just got home. Why?"

"Check it. Now," Riley said, her voice a little higher pitched than normal.

"Did you put superglue on the handle or something? Am I going to stick to everything I touch," Paige asked with a chuckle.

"Paige, just go look in your mailbox."

Paige was getting curious now. She quickened her pace to the mailbox. She cautiously reached for the pull handle just in case her wild assumption about Riley was right. No superglue she surmised as she pulled the lid down. She peered inside. "I see mail. Shocker. What am I supposed to be seeing in here Riley?"

"Take it out and tell me where the mail is from."

"You're weird."

"Just do it!"

"Ok, Nike. Chill out." Paige started thumbing through the envelopes. "Water bill. Electric bill. Campaign flyer. Coupon to get the gutters cleaned out. Something from Penn State. Phone b-"

"Paige!"

"What?"

"Penn State?"

Paige pulled the envelope back to the top of the stack in her hands. She had not registered she'd said it while she was mindlessly reading out where the mail was from. "Holy shit! It's addressed to me!"

"I got one today too!"

"What does it say?"

"I don't know. That's why I called you. I thought if you got something today too that we could open them together. Has Emily opened hers yet?"

"No, she's been determined to wait it out."

"Pick her up then meet me at my house. We'll open them together."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Emily and Paige made it to Riley's house in record time. Now all three girls are sat in a circle on Riley's bed. Their packets from Penn State lay in a pile in the center. The girls were visibly nervous. Their eyes darted back-and-forth between the letters and each other.

"Well someone has to go first," Emily finally said.

"You got your letter first, you go," Riley said. She jutted her chin towards the pile of thick envelopes in front of them.

"No, no. I've waited this long; I can wait for you two. Paige, you go." Emily looked to her girlfriend in anticipation.

Paige picked up the three packets and passed them out accordingly. "Let's open them at the same time. Let's count to three, ok?"

"Ok," Emily and Riley said simultaneously.

Paige began the countdown. "One, two-"

"Wait," Riley shouted. "Do we open on 'three' or after 'three?'"

Paige rolled her eyes. Her sister was stalling. And this was the girl who a week ago said she'd rip the envelope apart as soon as she got it. "On three. Ready?" They all nodded their heads. "One, two, three."

The sound of paper ripping filled the room. Each girl gingerly pulled the packet of information from the envelope, careful not to get a glimpse of anything they weren't ready to see yet. Smiles broke out across their faces as the three Rosewood teens learned their fate and place for the next four years.

"I got in," they screamed in unison as they bounced, still sitting on the bed. They looped their arms around each other's shoulders forming a perfect ring. It was appropriate really, that they formed this never ending circle. A circle as they say has no sides to be broken, no ends to be ended and no angle to be measured. The three of them, with Paige at the core, would always have each other for the rest of their lives.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Paige and Emily sat together on the comfy glider on the Fields' front porch. They had shared the good news with Pam and Wayne when Paige brought Emily home. Paige wanted to get home to tell her parents as well, but she wasn't quite ready to leave her girlfriend yet. She was too excited.

"It's happened, Em. It's really happened!"

Emily lifted her head from Paige's shoulder to kiss her cheek softly. "Just like we knew it would."

"This summer we can go buy stuff for our dorm room. Decide how we want to decorate. It's gonna be great."

Emily bit the corner of her bottom lip. She had been thinking about this for a little while now; since she got her packet. She had a good feeling Riley and Paige would both get offers. That brought up a yet to be discussed decision. One that it sounds like Paige had already made, possibly without giving it much thought.

"Um, Paige. Have you talked to Riley any about possible rooming situations?"

"No. Why?"

"I just wonder what her expectations might be. You don't think she has maybe at least considered rooming with you?" Paige was quiet. She didn't respond right away. That in itself told Emily that Paige had not considered it.

Paige shrugged her shoulders. "Huh. I didn't think about that." Not considering Riley in the roommate equation made Paige feel bad and she was surprised she had not thought of it. Rooming with her girlfriend just seemed like the logical step.

"I think you and Riley should room together next year." She hoped her girlfriend didn't take that the wrong way. Emily rubbed her hand gently along Paige's leg as she spoke. She was hoping that would soften what she had just told Paige.

"You don't want to room with me?" Paige thought for sure Emily would want to live with her in a freshman dorm next year.

"It's not that. I would love to room with you next year. It's just…I think it would be good for you and Riley. You didn't get a chance to grow up together. This could be a second opportunity for you. Only you and Riley…in a double…not the three of us and a stranger in a quad." Emily kissed Paige soundly on the lips. "Besides, you and I are going to have plenty of time to live together. You're stuck with me McCullers…for the long haul."

A smile started to spread across Paige's features as she thought about it. And she really appreciated Emily thinking of them. "I see your point. I'll talk to Riley." She kissed Emily in return. "And you're right. You and I have the rest of our lives."

"I'll probably get assigned a roommate from the swim team anyway."

Paige held up her hand in a "hold up" sign. "But not Peyton."

Emily laughed out loud. "No, not Peyton. Anyway, after our display at that house party I think she and everyone else got a pretty clear picture of who my heart belongs to."

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The following weekend the McCullers, Fields and Hastings got together for a celebratory dinner at the McCullers' house. It was a very nice night for everyone. There was a lot of laughter, excited conversations and fun stories shared at the embarrassment of the three teenagers.

As the evening wound down Paige got up to take everyone's dishes into the kitchen. Both Emily and Claire got up to help but Paige waved them off. She was standing at the kitchen sink when someone walked up behind her, dropping a few plates into the sink.

Paige turned around to face Natalie. "You didn't have to bring that stuff in here. I've got it."

Natalie turned to face Paige directly. She leaned against the counter with her hip resting on the ledge. "I wanted to. Plus, I was hoping to talk to you for a minute."

"Ok…"

"I just wanted to make sure you are comfortable about rooming with Riley next year."

"Yeah, yeah. Of course I am. I love Riley. You know that. Or at least I thought you did. I'm really looking forward to spending that time with her. We have a lot of time to make up for." Paige hoped Natalie didn't take that last comment personally. She didn't say it to throw that in Natalie's face. They were moving past that.

"I know you do. And I'm so happy about that. But you know, Paige, with you and Riley living together, I'm going to be around. You realize that, right? You'll most likely see me a lot more than you do now. I want to make sure you are comfortable with that."

Natalie would be lying if she said she wasn't concerned about Paige's reaction to seeing her more. When Riley came to her and told her that Paige had asked her to be her roommate next year Natalie was overjoyed. And then the doubt started to encroach on her thoughts. They were still trying to navigate these unknown waters. The first thing she did was pick up the phone to call the McCullers. She wanted to talk through this with them to make sure they all understood the situation and the boundaries. Like it or not, where Natalie was concerned there were boundaries and this could still be a delicate situation for some time to come. The conversation with Nick and Claire went well. They all agreed that this would be a good thing for Paige and Riley.

Paige was a little surprised that Natalie would question this now. Ever since Riley had spent that night in the hospital Paige and Natalie had been talking more and more. "Natalie, that doesn't bother me. My mom is my mom…I love Claire. I'm a McCullers. But that doesn't mean I don't want to get to know you better. I'd like to continue this process and really, I think it can only help; us being around each other more. That goes for me and Riley and me and you."

"I can give you some pointers on Riley Hastings survival if you'd like. She's not always the easiest person to live with but she manages to be endearing no matter what," Natalie said with a laugh.

"Yeah well, I just hope she doesn't duct-tape my hands together," Paige half mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing." _Twin inside joke thing_ Paige thought with a grin. She was definitely looking forward to rooming with her sister next year. Riley was an unexpected addition to her life; one that she didn't know was missing until she knew what it was to feel complete.

 **A/N: Until next chapter…which hopefully won't be too long of a wait.**


	30. Chapter 30

**Well I'm a big ol' lier. Sorry about that readers. At the end of last chapter I said something like not taking as long next time to update and that clearly was not the case! Once again I had to read parts of my own story just to get caught up. That's ridiculous y'all, and I don't like it one little bit. I promise to be better on the next couple of chapters.**

 **Anyway, here we are with the follow-up.**

 **Chapter 30**

Riley, Paige and Emily sat at one of the tables in the courtyard during the passing period between 6th and 7th periods. They were talking excitedly about their weekend plans when Hanna walked up. She was holding an oversized cup of coffee like it was her last prized possession.

Paige shook her head. "I'm still not used to going to a school which has coffee stations in the courtyard…or anywhere for that matter. Y'all are addicted."

Hanna plunked her large purse on the tabletop and sat down heavily with a sigh. "But I _NEED_ this coffee, Paige."

"Stay up late studying?" Paige would drink a whole gallon of coffee if that was actually why Hanna was tired. The likelihood of those two things happening was at least one in two-hundred.

Hanna massaged her temples. "Up too late binge watching _Shark Tank._ "

Paige's eyebrows crinkled in confusion while Emily and Riley nodded their heads knowingly. "I thought Shark Week is supposed to be in the summer?"

"No. The television show called _Shark Tank,"_ Riley answered for Hanna. Hanna pointed at Riley to indicate _yeah what she said._ "My mom watches it too."

Not many things Hanna let spill from her mouth shocked Paige anymore but this did. "So it's sharks? In a tank of water?" That did not sound even remotely interesting. She was surprised Natalie and Hanna would spend their time watching it.

Emily laughed out loud. "You really are adorable, Paige. It's a show where start-up entrepreneurs present their products or services to these well-established business leaders, the 'Sharks,' who they hope will invest in them."

" _YOU_ watch a show like that," Paige said in surprise, turning her head towards Hanna.

"Paige, I'm broadening my horizons. I can't just watch _Project Runway_ all the time. My advisor said I need to think about planning ahead," Hanna explained.

"And you're gonna accomplish that from watching this show?"

Hanna's look was clear. She said no words but conveyed the message _well yeah._ "Someday I am going to develop the next big clothing and apparel line and when I do I'm going to need investors. I consider this hands-on learning."

Riley wanted to change the subject. She couldn't figure out how they'd worked their way from coffee to random television shows. "Well then, I guess all of us have our futures sorted."

Hanna perked up a little at that. She knew Emily received a large packet from Penn State and had held off opening it in the hopes Paige would soon receive one as well. "What do you know that I don't know but would very much like to know that you aren't telling me?" Hanna talks in riddles sometimes when she's tired.

Emily reached for Hanna's coffee cup. She laughed as she said, "I think I need a sip of your coffee to get to the question there, Han."

Hanna slapped Emily's hand away. "Out with it, Fields." She also uses last names when she means business.

Emily looked at both Riley and Paige. They nodded in unison before shouting together, "We got into Penn State!"

"Eeeeeee," Hanna shrieked and bounced in her seat. "This is so great! We have to celebrate!"

"That's what we were talkin' about when you walked up," Paige explained. "We were making our weekend plans; me and Em," she pointed back-and-forth between herself and her girlfriend, "and Riley and Justin."

"Great, so where should Caleb and I meet you?"

"We're not making it a big thing, Hanna. Me and Em," Paige pointed back-and- forth between herself and her girlfriend again, "and Riley and Justin."

"The Penn Staters," Riley chimed in. It wasn't that they didn't _want_ to include anyone else. Ok, well technically that wasn't true. They _didn't_ want to include anyone else but not for any unfriendly reasons. They just wanted this to be about their personal celebration.

"Cool. So when and where," Hanna asked again, oblivious to what was being said between the lines.

Emily knew the futileness of their current situation. Hanna and Caleb were coming with them. It was as simple as that. Talking to Hanna sometimes was like talking to a toddler who flat out refused to acknowledge what they didn't want to hear. _"Time to go to bed"…_ nope, time to play. _"Eat your carrots"_ …nope, throw them in your face. Or with Hanna, _"You can't come"_...nope, see you there.

"I'll text you the details," Emily finally said.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

By the weekend the six celebrators were ready for a night to hang out. The excitement of the acceptance and offer letters for Emily, Paige and Riley had not abated at all; if anything it had increased. They kept the group small as they had intended. Other than Hanna going for the invite, they had not extended an offer to anyone else. Spencer and Aria both understood and they weren't at all surprised that Hanna was crashing so to speak.

In true Hanna form, she'd come into the evening with high energy, high spirits and high expectations. She was looking for a good time tonight. That didn't necessarily entail being tucked into a dark corner of The Brew drinking lattes which is where she found herself at present.

So far this evening they had been to dinner and were now at the one place they always end up anyway. This was turning into just another ordinary night and she was not all about that.

"…so we were thinking that since I like the color purple and Paige likes a light blue that we could use those as accent colors in our dorm room."

Hanna caught the tail end of what Riley said. She couldn't take this nonsense anymore. "Mmmmhmmm, yeah, ok, that's great." Hanna continued as she stood, "I'm bored."

Emily crossed her arms over her chest. "Hanna, you're the one that invited yourself to come with us tonight."

"Yeah, and I would think decorating would be right up your alley," Riley said with her eyes fixed on Hanna. She didn't appreciate her friend nearly cutting her off.

"But I thought we were going to celebrate. We're in The Brew drinking coffee," she said spreading her arms wide to indicate their location. "We're supposed to be celebrating going off to college not going off to a retirement home. Come on you guys, I wanna have fun with my best friends as much as possible before we head in different directions." When Hanna implored people with those big blue eyes and pouty face it was hard not to cave. If you stood any chance at all you had to look away quickly.

Caleb tugged on Hanna's arm trying to coax her to sit back down next to him. "Han, it's cool."

"This is not even a little bit cool, Caleb," she said with her hand, palm-up, outstretched to her boyfriend. "I'm ready to hand out everyone's gifts now."

"I don't think-"

"Please."

"Fine." Caleb reached into his back pocket pulling out a small bundle of what looked like plastic credit cards. Hanna thumbed through them handing each one to the correct person.

"A fake ID," Paige said as she got a good look at the card in her hand.

"For everyone," Hanna said with a beaming smile on her face.

"We already have fakes though," Riley pointed out.

Hanna shook her head. "Those are ok to get us into dive bars outside of Rosewood but not good enough for where we're going." She kneeled down to kiss Caleb's cheek. "Caleb made us better ones."

"To use where exactly," Justin asked with some excitement in his voice. He'd been just as bored as Hanna to be honest. Dorm decorations were not his thing. He was under the same assumption as Hanna as far as the celebration in store for this evening.

"Popular campus bar near Hollis," she said with a big smile. She knew she had them all. It was part of her charm. This really would be a memorable experience; something they could think back on when they take branches to their own paths come the fall.

As they headed towards the door and out to their cars Paige looked down at her ID again. She had to look twice for it to sink in what Hanna and Caleb had chosen for her fake name. Then she looked at Emily's. Emily's fake name was pretty normal: Kathryn Springdale. It was her actual middle name and the road she lives on. Paige hated what they made up as her fake name. "Why am I 'Buffy McHastings?'"

"And I'm 'Muffy McHastings.'," Riley chimed in as she looked at her own ID. "These names suck." Riley was not impressed. Paige did not look like a "Buffy" and Riley certainly did not look like a "Muffy."

Hanna shrugged her shoulders. "You're twins. That's a thing…the rhyming names and stuff."

"In the deep South circa 1950," Riley mumbled under her breath with a pronounced pout etching her features.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The club was packed when the six Rosewood High teens breezed through the front door brandishing their new fake ID's. They all had to admit, they had some swagger walking in with those new fakes. Maybe this is what it would be like when they actually are in college.

They each had a few drinks in them by the time the first hour rolled around. Except for Caleb; he was their DD for the night. Everyone was laughing, having a good time and in a playful mood.

Emily especially loved seeing Paige like this. She could be so serious and motivated at times but when she cut loose like this she was magnetic. The pull to be in her orbit was strong. They had been teasing each other all night because when one of them wasn't being hit on the other was.

It became a joke really when Emily walked up to Paige with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "You look like this girl I know," Emily said as she sidled up to Paige at the bar.

"Nice line though not too original," Paige said with a sly grin.

"No really, you do. Her name is Paige." Emily looked around Paige as she spoke. "But I heard she has a smokin' hot girlfriend," she smiled wide, "and I don't see you here with anyone so you must be someone else."

Paige moved a little closer to Emily as she leaned down to within an inch of her ear. "Well I don't know about that. You're here with me right now," she leaned back to look Emily up-and-down then leaned in to Emily's ear again, "and you're smokin' hot. Maybe I am Paige."

Emily bit her lip to hold back a smile. She used the new proximity to reach around to Paige's back pocket pulling out the fake ID she knew was there. "Your ID says your name is Buffy McHastings."

Paige laughed. "Yep. Yeah that's me…Buffy McHastings. And you are?"

"Kathryn. My friends call me Kate." Emily made up that last part on the fly.

Paige waggled her brows. She was laying it on thick. "You looking for a _new_ friend?"

Emily reached around Paige again to slowly replace the ID into the back pocket of her jeans. She let her fingers linger for a second longer than necessary. "Perhaps," she said as she straightened back up to look Paige in the eyes. Emily's look was smoldering; Paige felt a rush of heat ignite her entire body. This game was getting fun.

Paige glanced towards the direction of the dance floor. "Something New" by Zendaya thumped through the speakers. Appropriate given the moment. She angled her head in that direction before offering a hand to Emily. "What do you say then? Wanna try _something new_?"

Emily placed her hand delicately into Paige's. "Definitely."

The bass from the speakers surrounding the dance floor tickled everyone's chest from the rhythmic vibrations of the beat.

 _Hey, whatcha doin tonight?  
I see that look in your eyes  
I feel the same, yeah yeah  
Taste your lips girl when we kiss  
Why don't we handle this?  
Girl you know I need some affection, yeah yeah_

 _Don't know your name, but I guess I really don't care  
I prolly should wait, but I wanna letcha go there  
I wanna try something new, all night  
I wanna try something new, all night  
I wanna try something_

By the time the song had gotten to that point Paige and Emily's bodies were locked together on the dance floor. Their fingers and lips greedily sought out any inch of skin they could get to. They'd broken character at the first contact they'd made on the dance floor.

Emily was far gone. Her mind was jumping to all sorts of fun things they could do with each other to continue their celebrations when they got home later that night. Her pulse spiked and her stomach dropped at the mere thought of it. She angled Paige's head towards her kiss-plumped lips and whispered, "Paige…wanna try something new tonight?" Her meaning was crystal clear.

Paige was down for that! She was ready to leave right now as a matter of fact. That is until Hanna bulldozed her way through the crowded dance floor and ripped Emily away before Paige could answer. She saw her girlfriend mouth "sorry" as she was dragged away to dance with Hanna near the DJ booth.

Paige helplessly watched as Emily and Hanna twirled and bounced to the beat of the next song blasting through the speakers. She decided it best to head back to their table to cool off a bit.

Riley was sitting in one of the high-back chairs bobbing her head to the beat. "Where's everyone else," Paige asked her sister.

"Justin is getting me a drink. The line at the bar is forever long. And Caleb is…"Riley looked around. "…I don't know, actually. He's off somewhere. Last I saw he was following Hanna apologizing to everyone she spilled her drink on as she raced to the dance floor."

Paige laughed. "Yeah, she's out there with Em now."

Riley nudged Paige in the side playfully. "I'm surprised she could tear Emily off of you. You were hot and heavy out there. I was kinda surprised to see you like that."

"What do you mean?"

"You usually aren't that expressive. It's not a bad thing, just an observation."

Paige shrugged her shoulders. She supposed Riley has a point. "I guess Emily brings out a more well-rounded version of me sometimes. I think we do that for each other."

"You're good together."

Paige looked down to the table and absentmindedly wiped a ring of condensation from a recently discarded bottle of beer off the table. "Thanks." It was nice to hear other people say that about her and her girlfriend.

Several minutes of silence lingered between the two as they watched everyone out on the dance floor. Finally Riley asked the question she had been wondering about for a little while. She leaned across the table towards Paige. "Ok, I just have to ask. How do you know?"

Paige turned her head towards Riley. She was confused about what her sister was referring to. "Know what?"

Riley grinned a little. "How do you know if another girl likes you…you know, _THAT_ way?"

Paige wasn't expecting that question at all. "That's a random question. And you're curious because?" and she raised her eyebrows.

Riley reached across the table to teasingly hit Paige's shoulder. "I'm just curious you dork. No reason why other than helping to get to know you better. I mean do you have that lesbidar or something?"

Paige tilted her head back in laughter at that one. "Oh my God. I'll pretend you did _NOT_ just say that. That's not even the word you're looking for." The sisters fell into a mini-fit of laughter fueled by the fun they'd been having that night, the alcohol and definitely Riley's choice of words.

Once Riley composed herself she asked again. "But seriously, how do you know?"

Paige looked out at the dance floor where Emily was still dancing and sighed. She considered how to best answer the question in a way that might make sense to Riley. She turned back to her sister, "It's like flirting in code. It's using body language and laughing at the right jokes. It's a lot of little things that all add up to something you hope to be true." She stared off lost in thought, recalling a time when she and Emily were just friends but Paige wanted more. It felt like years had gone by when in truth it was less than one. Her attention was again drawn to Emily on the crowded dance floor. This time when Emily came into view everyone else simply disappeared. Paige only had eyes for the girl she knew she wanted to spend a lifetime with yet knew that would still never be enough time with her. Paige continued with her explanation while she was consumed with thoughts of her girlfriend. "It's looking into her eyes and knowing she's whispering, calling out to you, even when she's not saying a word. And the sense that if you can touch her, just once, everything will be okay for both of you. You'd have all you ever hoped and dreamed of. That's how you know. At least, that's how I knew Emily was it for me."

Riley had her chin propped up in the palms of both hands. She sat completely silent while Paige poured her heart out about Emily. When Paige finally looked back over to her all Riley could say was "awwwwweee" as she tilted her head to one side.

Paige was a little uncomfortable with the display she'd just put on, even if it was to her sister. She looked around the table at all of the scattered bottles and glasses and joked, "Or, if she's really hot you just get her drunk and see if she comes on to you."

Riley shook her head. "Yeah right. You're nothing but a big ol' softie Buffy McHastings," she kidded.

"You can just keep that to yourself Muffy McHastings," Paige said as she pointed across the table to her sister. They both doubled-over laughing again.

When Paige straightened up she saw Emily and Hanna coming back towards their table. Emily made her way over to the high-backed chair Paige was sitting in and wrapped her arm around Paige's waist. Paige turned in her chair to give Emily a heartfelt kiss.

Emily reluctantly pulled away. "What was that for," she asked with a big grin brightening her face. Not that she was complaining.

Paige looked deeply into Emily's eyes and saw the interest and the connection that had been there all along only now it was accompanied by an infinite amount of love. "For whispering to me."

 **A/N: Alright I may have had that Zendaya song on repeat a little bit lately so it made its way into the story. But come on…it plays off of elements in the beat of TLC's "Creep." How could I** _ **not**_ **like it?**

 **And no, my sister and I do not have rhyming names and they are definitely not "Buffy" or "Muffy"…though rhyming is kind of a thing. Inspiration for Paige's fake name goes to Dinosaurfan and the prompt to repeat (or somewhat repeat) a "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" scene. (Paige & Riley's little chat) I've never seen the show or that scene so I hope I did it justice. Thanks Dinosaurfan!**


	31. Chapter 31

**One of you Guest reviewers out there knows my writing habits and you were right! :) I was pretty close on 32 so here you go for Chapter 31.**

 **Fair warning y'all- this chapter gets a little spicy towards the end.**

 **Chapter 31**

Emily, Riley, Hanna, Spencer and Aria planned for weeks to block out one entire Saturday in early-April to shop for prom dresses. Each girl was on a mission to find the _perfect_ dress for their senior prom; one that would knock their dates' socks off…and perhaps a little more.

"It's a shame Paige isn't here with us," Aria said to no one in particular. Her voice carried down the row of dressing rooms in the upscale gown shop at the mall. In the background you could hear zippers pulling and fabric rustling from the other stalls.

"Emily wouldn't let her come," Hanna shouted out from down the row.

"That's not true!" Emily defended.

"Technically that is true, Em," Spencer chimed in.

Emily rolled her eyes though none of them could see it. _Typical Spencer wanting to get all "technical."_

"I merely _suggested_ that maybe it would be a better idea for her to go shopping another time. We don't want to see each other's dresses before prom night."

"You _implied_ that you didn't want her to come," Hanna summarized.

"Poor Paige," Aria said with some melancholy to her voice. Emily could imagine Aria's big, hazel eyes caste downward in sympathy.

"Guys, Paige is fine with it," Riley clarified. "It's all good. Spencer and I are going dress shopping with Paige next week. By then Emily might know what color her dress is and they can coordinate. No biggie."

Hanna, who was in the room next to Emily's, shrugged her shoulders then ducked her head under the wall that separated her and Emily's dressing rooms. "I saw you eying that barely-there lacey lingerie earlier," she said while looking up at Emily.

Emily looked down at Hanna and shrieked. She pulled a dress that was hanging nearby around her body to shield herself from Hanna. "Han! Eyes in your own stall please!" Hanna pulled her head back under the wall to her own dressing room. "And no I wasn't."

There really wasn't much point in denying that the lingerie she passed by in a store-front window earlier had caught her eye. It did and she knew it would catch Paige's eye too.

She was thinking about that until sounds coming from Hanna's dressing room distracted her. The rest of the girls started laughing when they heard Hanna play the ringtone of Ginuwine's "Pony." That may or may not have been Caleb's ringtone at one time.

Emily laughed under her breath before saying, "Hanna, turn that off."

She complied. "You were thinking about it though. There's no shame in that game, Em. Go buy it!"

"I'll think about it," Emily heard herself say.

"You should take it with you on the senior trip."

Now that sounded like a good idea. Senior trip was coming up this weekend. It would be the perfect opportunity since Paige and Emily arranged to be assigned to the same room. It was a double-queen but only one of those beds would get the sheets wrinkled that weekend. She smiled knowing that the lingerie would be a wonderful addition to her weekend wardrobe.

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A senior trip for the graduating class is a Rosewood High tradition that goes back decades. Every year the PTA raises funds to send the students on a trip to the Delaware Water Gap. It's not too far away but far enough that the students feel some freedom. And there is something for pretty much everyone to enjoy. There's horseback riding, canoeing, hiking, swimming, biking and much more.

Hanna popped up onto her knees as she turned around in her seat to face Spencer and Toby who were seated behind her and Caleb in the large travel bus. "I hope the lodge is nice."

"I looked it up online and checked out their guest reviews. 4.5 out of 5 stars," Spencer assured her friend. "Besides, we'll be outside doing stuff most of the time."

"You might. I'm going to the spa," Hanna corrected. She patted the top of Caleb's head. "We're getting a couple's massage."

"Oooo-oooo," Toby said behind his friend. He finished it off with kissy noises.

"Shut up man," Caleb mumbled under his breath. _Who doesn't like a good massage?_

Mr. Perkins at the front of the bus asked everyone to be seated so he could check the attendee list before they departed the schools parking lot bright and early Saturday morning.

Riley poked her head over the tops of the seats to join in the conversation. "We have all of the room swaps sorted right?" The PTA chaperones had assigned rooms and they traditionally were not allowed to be co-ed.

They looked around to each other nodding their confirmation in silence. Spencer and Toby would take her and Riley's room. Hanna and Caleb would take Caleb and Toby's room. Riley and Blake would take her and Aria's room and Aria and Justin would take Justin and Blake's room. Paige and Emily had their room together.

"Miss Hastings and Miss Marin in the back," Mr. Perkins shouted. The girls turned their heads towards the front of the bus. "Face forward, and Miss Marin, please do sit down properly in your seat." Caleb gave a gentle tug on her shirt to get her to comply. A few short minutes later they were on their way.

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After all of the students got settled into their rooms at the lodge each were given a list of approved activities to sign up for. They were required to sign up for at least one of them that afternoon. The group of friends decided unanimously to go canoeing. Well, unanimous…maybe not. Hanna was flat out being dragged along kicking and screaming so-to-speak.

The rental agent at the dock gave each member of the group their life vest. "You don't get to step foot into the canoes without wearing one of these."

Hanna handed hers back. "Works for me. See you guys later." She started to walk towards the path that would lead back to the lodge.

Mr. Perkins, who was assigned to the canoe groups, intervened. "Oh no you don't Miss Marin. You come right back over here. Required means that you're _required_ to participate and _required_ to wear the life vest."

Hanna rolled her eyes as she marched back to the dock. "You're _required_ to call me Hanna from now on. That is my first name you know." She took the life vest the rental agent held out to her again as she passed him and Mr. Perkins.

Everyone else in the group was getting situated in their canoes while Hanna begrudgingly put on the life vest. Emily could swear she heard Hanna say, "But Caleb, I don't even _know_ the person who _wore this last_ and it doesn't match my shirt _,"_ as he fastened the clips on her vest.

Emily tuned out of their conversation as she prepared to put her plan into action. She nonchalantly dropped her paddle to the water and let go. It floated on top as it drifted just out of her reach. She stretched to grab hold of it exaggerating how far out it was then ooops, fell right into the water.

By the time Paige had turned around upon hearing the splash from the back of their canoe behind her, the rental agent had jumped in to pull Emily out of the water. They pulled her up onto the platform of the dock to get the life vest off of her and wrap a dry towel around her. Mr. Perkins, Hanna and the rental agent were hovering over Emily when Paige ran up to them.

Paige pushed through them to Emily. "Em, are you ok," she asked bending down to eye level.

"I'm fine. Just an accident. I guess I reached too far out to get my paddle that had fallen into the water."

"You need to get dried off back up at the lodge, miss," the rental agent said in a concerned tone.

"Yes, yes, you should Miss Fields," Mr. Perkins agreed. "Can you make it back there ok? I need to stay with the rest of the students down here." He gestured towards the canoes.

Emily nodded her head. "I think so but it's probably a good idea if Paige could help me get back to our room."

Mr. Perkins glanced at Paige. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. There's no way I'm staying here while she goes up there," Paige said looking up towards the lodge.

Emily winked at Hanna while Mr. Perkins and the rental agent took their focus off of her to follow Paige's line of sight towards the lodge.

Hanna's jaw dropped. That's when she realized Emily had planned the whole thing. _That little shit_ she thought. There's no way it would work for her now if she tried the same thing.

 _No shame in the game indeed._ Emily and her lingerie had a date with Paige while everyone else would be paddling in a river all afternoon. That worked out pretty well.

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Phase two of the plan was about to commence. Emily needed Paige out of their room for a bit.

Emily started heading towards the bathroom. "I need to jump in a hot shower. Do you think you can run down to the front desk to get more towels please?"

"I can or do you need me to help you in the shower," Paige asked.

Emily reassured her she'd be fine but that she really could use some fresh, warm towels when she gets out.

As soon as Paige left the room Emily dialed the front desk. When the desk clerk answered Emily spoke quickly and to the point. "Hi. This is room 312. My roommate is heading down there to get extra towels because I fell in the river a bit ago. Can you do me a favor and stall her? Maybe take a little longer than you need to?" Emily crossed her fingers and waited for the response. She smiled wide when she got it. "Thanks so much," she said before hanging up.

Emily did decide to quickly jump in a hot shower. That river was pretty damn cold. She hadn't factored water temperature into her masterful plan.

After warming up quickly in the hot shower Emily got her secret stash of supplies out of her luggage. She turned on battery-powered lanterns, set them to the lowest light level and placed them in each corner of the room. Next she took out ten or so battery-powered candles. She programmed them to the "flicker" setting watching as the fake flames started to sway back-and-forth then strategically sat them in various places around the room. Satisfied with the placement of everything, Emily turned off the lights and headed for the bed closest to the gas-powered fireplace that every guest room had. Just before laying on the bed Emily kicked the fireplace on both for ambiance and to take the chill out of the air.

Emily situated herself on the bed when she heard Paige's keycard slide into the electronic lock. She lay on her side and stretched out her long, feminine body. She propped her head up on one hand and draped the other hand across her torso.

Paige stepped through the door talking as she did so. "Sorry that took forev-." She stopped mid-sentence and mid-step when she caught sight of her girlfriend on the bed.

"I'm warming up," Emily said. She slowly ran the fingertips of her free hand between the valley created between her breasts by the push-up bra. Her voice dropped to a huskiness that really only ever comes out when she is 50 shades of turned on. The anticipation of waiting for Paige definitely had something to do with that.

 _I'm gettin' pretty warm myself_ Paige thought as she took in the sight of Emily in a deep purple lace bustier and matching panty.

Paige threw the towels into an arm chair as she made her way further into the room. "I could help you out with that," she offered. She kicked off her shoes.

Emily moistened her soft lips with her tongue. "I wish you would."

Paige moved closer to the bed. She was trying to resist reaching out for Emily. She wanted to touch her so badly but wanted this to go slowly just the same. "They say skin-to-skin contact is best for that. Shared heat and all."

"Yes… _and all._ " That last part rolled out of Emily's mouth on a wave of lust.

Paige was within reach now. Emily used the proximity to flick the button of Paige's jeans open and slowly pull the zipper down.

Paige took the moment to look down at her beautiful girlfriend. Her body is artwork that Paige reveres and cherishes in equal measure. That is a stunning view which is hard to look away from. But it is Emily's eyes that caught Paige's breath in that moment. Paige could see how much Emily wanted her. Her eyes were as dark as a clear night sky. The dancing light in the room shined in Emily's eyes like stars flickering against the darkness of the universe. Paige could get lost in those eyes.

Paige came back to her senses when she felt Emily beginning to pull her jeans and bottoms down her legs. She quickly stepped out of both while simultaneously ridding herself of her shirt and bra.

Emily rolled onto her back as Paige settled on top of her. She'd been waiting to feel the weight of Paige on top of her all day.

"You are _so_ beautiful, Emily," Paige whispered as she left feather light kisses along the column of Emily's neck.

Emily's hips were already starting to move under Paige when their lips finally met in a kiss that sent tingles from each girl's tongues straight to their toes. It was soft, yet hungry; rushed, yet sensual; and deep, yet easy.

Paige was eager for that skin-to-skin contact with Emily. She quickly rolled them over so that Emily was now on top. She ran her hands up from Emily's thighs, up her ass then up her back to the start of the zipper at the top of the back of the bustier. Paige pulled the zipper down with one hand. The other ghosted fingers down Emily's spine in the zippers wake. Paige thought she felt goosebumps prickle Emily's skin as she did.

Emily sat up, straddling Paige. She pulled the straps of the bustier down both arms and tossed the lingerie. She raised her hips signaling to Paige that it was well and good time for her soaked lace bottoms to go too.

Paige hooked each of her index fingers through the strings at Emily's hips and glided the bottoms down until Emily kicked them off to the foot of the bed.

Emily sat astride Paige again. She could feel between them how wet they were. Paige was now the one shifting her hips below Emily. Emily started to match her pace. With their movements reaching a rhythm it wouldn't take long to roll into the first pleasure-filled moment of the night. And it didn't. Lucky for them that was the first of many to come.

 **A/N: No pun intended on that last line. I did tell you it gets a little spicy in this chapter.**


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Like most dances put together by Rosewood High, Prom 2016 was sure to be over the top. This year the prom committee booked a renovated barn that had been historically preserved and now used for weddings and events.

The white, stretch Escalade containing Emily, Paige, their friends and dates slowly made its way along the pebble driveway to the large barn set off from the main road. Light splashed onto the walkway surrounding the barn from the large windows that ran along the length of the structure on both sides. The timing was perfect; with it just hitting dusk and a beautiful sunset and rolling hills in the background, the setting was beautiful. If it was possible for a thing to look both rustic and chic, the historic this barn venue fit the description perfectly.

The walls, up to three-fourths of the way up, were made of carved stone quarried from the hills of Pennsylvania. The wood constructing the rest of the walls made of carefully restored historic lumber. The floors were stained and polished to a shine you could see your reflection in.

Inside, the décor and furnishings were minimal. With craftsmanship like this you don't dare cover it up or detract from it, you enhance it with complimentary, understated pieces. The prom committee opted to go with a lot of burlap, white and lace. The exposed trusses and roof rafters helped to open the space and make it feel much bigger than it might have been. Large, bronze circular chandeliers hung down the center of the rooftop. On one wall, an impressive floor-to-ceiling fireplace was showcased. This is where the photographer had opted to set-up for photos. Snacks and drinks were set-up on the bar towards the back of the large room.

Emily wore a fitted navy dressed that hugged her body like it was designed and tailored just for her; like its creator had her in mind when they dreamt of its lines, cuts and fit. It had a slit on the side that ran to mid-thigh and a halter-top heart-shaped neckline that plunged low enough to reveal soft, caramel-colored curves. The top had an intricate design in a champagne color that drew the eyes directly to the plunging neckline.

Paige's dress was complimentary to Emily's and matched the champagne color from Emily's bodice. Her dress was a little simpler as far as the cut but no less stunning. She sparkled from head-to-toe in the form-fitting dress. The sheer neckline was embellished with lace and sequins as a plunging v-shaped neckline gave the eyes a wonderful journey on the path to Paige's assets. When Emily picked up Paige that evening both girls were rendered speechless. The wait to see what the other was wearing was well worth it.

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Paige was having a great time hanging with her girlfriend and friends at prom. They've danced, laughed, goofed off and just had a good time all night so far.

Paige glanced around their group noticing that Riley was missing. If someone had told her in July that one of the strangers who walked up to her table at The Brew would end up being her sister, much less her twin, she'd have told said person they were crazy. Yet here she is, hanging out with Riley at their senior prom and getting ready to head off to college together.

Riley walked back up to the group with a mischievous look on her face. Paige knew that look; Riley had been up to something while she was away. She was just getting ready to ask Riley what was up when the DJ announced, "Listen up everyone! We've got a song dedication going out to Paige McCullers from her twin sister, Riley Hastings!"

Paige started shaking her head. "What did you do?"

Riley started backing towards the dance floor motioning for Paige to join her.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

Riley grinned and pointed down towards the floor as the song started playing and shouted, "Get your ass out here, Paige."

Paige recognized the song immediately. It was "It Takes Two." _Appropriate_ she thought as she felt her friends pushing her towards the dance floor.

Paige looked around the perimeter of the room. Yep. Everyone was watching which would probably have made her uncomfortable, but she couldn't help getting into the song regardless. As soon as Rob Base said _"Hit it,"_ they did. Riley and Paige started bobbing their heads to the beat, then their feet (which had long ago kicked off the high heels) got in on the action. They started bouncing around. Riley jumped in on the background vocal in the intro then Paige joined in on the main verse. When she got to, _"Ladies love me, girls adore me,"_ she winked at Emily who was watching, laughing and shaking her head playfully at Paige.

The next time _"It takes two to make a thing go right, It takes two to make it outta sight_ " came back around again, Riley and Paige sang out as loud as they could laughing through it all.

Soon, their whole group of friends ran towards them to join in on the dancing, as did everyone else around the dance floor. Riley considered briefly as she danced that the writer of the hip-hop song didn't intend it to be a twin sister anthem, probably, but here they are nonetheless.

Riley looked over at her sister who was dancing and laughing…her _sister_ …the same person who not even a year ago was a complete stranger to her. So much had changed since then. There were some rough patches there at first as anyone would have expected. But they all got through it- their new, make-shift family with Paige's parents: Claire and Nick and of course her mom Natalie and Chris. Riley and Paige featured prominently at the center of this family.

There were still some awkward moments and most likely there will be more to come. That will never negate the fact that Paige has been a blessing in her life and will continue to be so.

Paige dance-stepped her way over to Riley and put her arm around her neck. They sang together again and danced to the beat. Both girls had a smile on their faces that could light up a room. It was the two of them together, and yeah, that felt pretty right.

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Prom night, for Emily and Paige anyway, was certainly living up to the hype. This was their senior prom; a night for romanticism, fun and love if you were fortunate to have found it. They were two of the fortunate. Their love was as solid as the rock forming the walls that surrounded them.

When Paige heard the opening beat of "Then There's You" she led Emily from their group of friends out onto the middle of the dance floor. This song, especially tonight, described her girlfriend and she just _had_ to show everyone why…as if they didn't have eyes and couldn't see it for themselves.

Paige wrapped one arm around Emily's waist to pull her in close. Emily framed her arm around the back of Paige's neck and twirled Paige's long, gently-curled hair around her fingers. Paige entwined their fingers together on their opposite hands. She kissed their joined fingers before resting them gently in the space where their chests met together, right at their hearts.

The song played over the speakers anchored around the room.

" _Some girls walk in the room and everything remains,_

 _But when you opened up the door, my life completely changed._

 _Some girls be craving that attention to be seen,_

 _But the one I'm looking at is right in front of me._

 _There's no words to express,_

 _When you're wearing that dress that way."_

Paige looked Emily up and down and smiled with a gleam in her eyes that made Emily blush.

" _There's no words to describe,_

 _Let me look in your eyes and say."_

Paige stared intently into Emily's dark-smoky eyes letting her connection convey that the words in the song were hers to Emily.

" _There's beautiful and then there's you…"_

Paige gently pushed off of Emily while she raised their joined hands and twirled Emily outward. Emily giggled, throwing her head back into the spin. Her dark hair fanned out as she twirled under Paige's arm. Paige then brought her back snug up against her while the song continued and she whisper-sang,

" _There's beautiful and then there's you._

 _There's beautiful and then there's you."_

The remainder of the song played out while the two girls enjoyed the moment for what it was- for them. For some high school sweethearts, senior prom is one of those fleeting moments; a time that you realize most likely won't come again. You'll go your separate ways. You'll meet new people. You'll embrace new loves. You'll move on, cherishing the past but looking forward in a direction that may not involve your date.

Not Emily and Paige. For them, senior prom is a celebration. A time to celebrate the year they've spent together, but mostly, to look forward to their futures. Someday, years from now, they'll dance at their wedding much like they are now. Paige will be looking at Emily like she's the most beautiful girl in the room. Emily will be looking at Paige and thinking how fortunate she is to be the luckiest girl in the room. And they'll remember this moment, dancing arm-in-arm at their senior prom. They'll remember the years in between while they were at college. They'll remember when they graduated college and started life "in the real world." And they will remember what if felt like to look ahead to what their life could become together and they will feel the same in that moment as well because for Emily and Paige they will always have a life of love and happiness to look forward to.

 **THE END**

 **A/N: Yep, this is the last chapter. I wanted to get Paige in here closing out the story with both Riley and Emily.**

 **The song Paige and Emily danced to is by Charlie Puth. And tell me you know who performs Riley and Paige's "It Takes Two?" Rob Base & DJ EZ Rock! 'Cause come on now…that's a fun song y'all.**

 **Special thanks and a big ol' shout-out to the person who prompted me to write a "twin story." Being a twin myself, when I got the prompt from** _ **siophiefandom**_ **I knew I had to write something. That "something" ended up being "My Other Half." Let me just take a second to inform you that if you want to read really good stories then check out anything written by the aforementioned prompter. Seriously. I'm pretty picky about what I'll take the time to read, and I'll read anything by siophiefandon every time.**

 **I'm going to take a little break then I'll be back with a new story. It's going to involve grown Paige and Emily with kids. I've never done a grown-up Paily or Paily with kids. Should be interesting.**

 **Thanks as always for hangin' around and reading this stuff!**


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